SF 


L6 


RLF 

111 


SB    3M 


HOgS 

ByA.J.Lovejoy 


Supplementary 
Chapters  on  Feeding 

JohnM.Eward 


GIFT  OF 
Agricultural   Educ.Div. 


HOgS 

By  A .  J.  Lovejoy 

r\\fith  Supplementary 
Chapters  on  Feeding 

John  M  Ewa  r  d 


A  PRACTICAL  BOOK  FOR 
THE  PURE  BRED  SWINE 
BREEDER  AND  FARMER 


Chicago 

The  Frost  Publishing  Co. 
1919 


Copyright,  1919.  by  Frost  Publishing  Co. 


S  F     •  9  - 


A.  J.  LOVEJOY 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  author  has  not  undertaken  to  write  a  thesis,  but  having 
commenced  the  business  of  swine  breeding  when  quite  a  young 
_     man  and  following  it  for  practically  forty  years,  he  has  been 
requested  to  write  this  book  along  practical  lines. 

Beginning  with  a  pair  of  young  pigs  many  years  ago,  the  only 
way  anything  concerning  the  subject  has  been  learned  has  been  by 
actual  experience.  This  experience  has  been  costly,  but  what  is 
learned  at  the  greatest  expense  one  never  forgets. 

For  many  years  the  writer  did  all  his  own  work  in  the  business 
of  swine  breeding  and  feeding  as  well  as  showing.  He  gained  in 
knowledge  as  he  gained  in  experience.  I  cannot  recall  any  labor 
or  duties  connected  with  the  feeding  and  breeding  of  swine  that  I 
have  not  carried  on  personally,  and  step  by  step  grown  in  the  busi- 
ness from  the  smallest  possible  beginning  until  a  trade  has  been 
built  up  that  extends  throughout  the  United  States  and  into  for- 
eign countries.  Being  of  a  temperament  that  never  gives  up,  and 
with  a  determination  to  -stick  to  the  business  through  thick  and  thin, 
I  have  never  wavered  from  my  determination  to  make  it  a  success 
and  a  permanent  business. 

Early  I  decided  to  follow  the  purebred  business,  selling  prin- 
cipally to  breeders,  and  feeding  for  market  hogs  that  did  not  come 
up  to  a  standard  of  excellence  necessary  to  satisfy  customers.  I 
have  never  had  any  reason  to  change  my  first  decision.  Of  course, 
in  the  early  days  it  was  a  hard  matter  to  find  customers,  but  good 
care,  feeding  and  advertising  and  the  following  of  the  showring, 
gradually  brought  us  to  the  attention  of  farmers  and  breeders, 
and  as  the  years  came  and  went  I  could  see  a  gradual  increase  of 
business  and  of  knowledge  regarding  it,  and  each  year  I  went  out 
a  little  stronger  in  the  showring,  did  a  little  more  business  over  the 
circuit  and  found  a  larger  correspondence  at  home;  all  of  which 
was  gratifying  and  encouraging.  It  was  my  good  fortune  also  to 
believe  in  system  in  all  things,  and  to  system  I  attribute  much  of 
my  success  later. 

Careful  records  were  kept  of  all  animals — breeding  dates,  far- 
rowing dates,  marking  of  the  litters,  and  disposition  of  the  same, 
showing  to  whom  sold  and  prices  received ;  correct  accounts  regard- 
ing expenses  and  receipts,  making  a  thorough  system  of  book- 
keeping. It  has  always  been  our  custom  promptly  to  answer  all 
correspondence,  keeping  a  carbon  copy  of  the  reply  to  every  letter. 
Before  typewriters  were  used,  all  letters  were  written  with  a  pen, 
and  a  letter  press  was  used  in  taking  an  impression  in  the  copy 
book.  It  is  no  trouble  for  us  today  to  turn  to  any  year's  business, 
or  to  find  out,  if  the  question  is  asked,  what  animal  we  sold  to  a 
certain  man  years  ago. 


fl  FORTY  YEARS'   EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

Nothing  has  ever  been  done  on  this  farm  in  the  matter  of  breed- 
ing but  is  on  record;  therefore  we  do  not  depend  on  our  memory 
for  anything  connected  with  the  business. 

What  I  have  learned  during  these  many  years  of  close  contact 
with  the  business  is  written  .out  in  this  book.  I  hope  that  many  a 
young  man,  new  in  the  business,  or  perhaps  the  older  man  of 
experience,  may  find  some  fact  or  view  that  will  interest  and  help 
him.  It  is  for  the  benefit  of  my  fellow-breeders,  feeders  and  farm- 
ers that  I  have  attempted  to  write  it,  and  it  was  with  great  diffi- 
dence that  I  undertook  it,  even  after  urgent  solicitation,  and  I  only 
trust  that  it  may  meet  with  the  approval  of  those  who  are  striving 
to  make  a  success  of  the  swine  business. 

In  advising  a  beginner  I  can  only  say:  Select  the  breed  that 
you  think  you  would  like  best,  no  matter  what  color.  After  fully 
deciding  with  which  one  you  will  begin,  stick  to  it,  and  do  not  let 
anything  cause  you  to  waver.  You  cannot  make  a  success  by  using 
first  one  breed  and  then  another.  Stick  to  the  one  you  have  selected, 
and  by  every  means  possible  get  all  available  information  regarding 
it.  Be  honest,  and  remember  that  it  takes  time  to  build  up  a  busi- 
ness, and  after  it  is  once  established  one  must  be  as-  careful  to  main- 
tain it  as  he  was  in  building  it. 


What  is  there  about  the  farm  more  interesting  than  a  bunch  of  good  hogs? 


PART  1 
CHAPTER  I 

THE  IDEAL  HOG  FARM. 

The  writer  has  never  seen  an  ideal  hog  farm  in  every  respect. 
While  many  farms  are  almost  ideal,  usually  they  lack  something. 
My  idea  of  an  ideal  hog  farm  is  that  it  should  first  have  a  rich 
soil,  full  of  fertility  to  grow  grasses  and  other  forage,  as  well  as  the 
grains  needed  for  the  best  feeds  for  the  proper  development-  of 
hogs.  After  a  good  rich  soil,  the  next  thing  is  a  slightly  rolling 
well-drained  farm.  If  it  is  underlaid  three  or  four  feet  with  gravel, 
as  much  of  our  soil  in  northern  Illinois  is,  it  will  not  require  tiling 
to  carry  off  surplus  water.  I  have  often  noticed  that  a  farm  that 
lies  quite  level,  and  has  a  rich  black  soil,  gets  very  muddy  after 
rains  and  during  the  coming  out  of  the  frost  in  the  spring.  This 
kind  of  soil  is  not  best  for  ideal  hograising ;  besides,  being  extremely 
muddy  at  times,  this  class  of  soil  does  not  come  as  near  being  ideal 
as  a  dark  sandy  loam,  well-drained  with  underground  natural  drain- 
age. Such  soil  is  also  better  even  during  dry  weather  for  the  feet 
of  pigs.  They  are  rather  more  inclined  to  keep  in  shape  and  wear 
down  a  little  all  the  time  instead  of  growing  long  and  turning  up 
at  the  toes,  as  do  many  pigs  kept  on  soft,  mucky  black  soil. 

If  one  wishes  a  central  hoghouse  for  general  use,  rather  than  a 
feedhouse  and  half -acre  lots  in  which  individual  houses  are  placed, 
he  should  place  his  central  house  where  pastures  can  be  easily 
reached  from  either  side.  The  kind  of  house  he  should  use  is  one 
of  the  modern  swine  houses,  described  on  page  12.  It  should  be 
situated  so  that  a  good  pasture  of  well-set  grass  or  mixture  of 
grasses  can  be  reached  from  either  side.  Pastures  before  being 
occupied  in  this  manner  should  be  well-set  in  grass  at  least  a  year 
before  being  used  as  hog  pasture. 

A  small  pen  the  same  width  as  those  on  the  inside  of  the  hog- 
house  should  extend  outward  from  the  pen  16  or  more  feet,  just 
for  convenience,  and  gates  opening  from  these  to  the  regular  pas- 
ture, which  may  be  acre  lots,  half -acre  lots  or  much  larger,  accord- 
ing to  whether  the  breeder  cares  to  keep  each  sow  and  litter  separ- 
ate after  they  go  on  grass.  If  half -acre  lots  are  used,  each  should 
have  a  sleeping  house  at  the  rear  end,  and  artificial  shade,  if  there 
is  not  natural  shade  in  each  lot,  for  the  comfort  of  the  sow  and 
litter  during  hot  weather.  They  should  come  to  the  general  house 
for  feeding. 

Forage  Crop  Mixture. — A  mixture  of  clover,  alfalfa,  orchard 
grass  and  other  grasses  makes  ideal  pasture.  The  lots  should  be 
situated  on  either  side  of  the  general  hoghouse.  Arrangements  for 


8        FORTY  YEARS'  EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

watering  should  be  ma.de  so  that  all  can  drink  from  the  central 
house.  Small  fields  of  forage  should  be  grown  where  a  large 
number  of  sows  or  young  hogs  may  be  placed  after  weaning  time, 
or  those  that  have  already  weaned  their  litters,  or  animals  being 
fitted  for  market  that  would  not  necessarily  be  obliged  to  remain 
in  the  central  house  and  lot,  but  could  run  in  the  larger  lots  and 
larger  numbers  together.  I  quote  the  following  on  the  value  of 
forage  crops  for  swine  from  Bulletins  Nos.  136  and  143,  from  the 
Iowa  Experiment  Station: 

"Probably  there  is  no  kind  of  pasture  that  becomes  green  and  suitable 
for  hogs  as  early  in  the  season  as  a  field  of  winter  rye,  sown  early  in  the 
fall  previous.  This  rye  often  furnishes  good  grazing  through  the  late  fall 
and  early  winter,  or  until  it  becomes  covered  with  snow,  then  it  is  the  first 
thing  that  will  furnish  a  green  bite  in  the  spring,  coming  on  much  earlier 
than  either  alfalfa  or  clover. 

"Following  the  early  rye  comes  alfalfa,  which  furnishes  green  pasture 
a  little  earlier  than  any  of  the  clovers.  By  May  1  in  the  northern  latitude 
red  clover  will  furnish  a  splendid  pasture  until  such  time  as  it  begins  to 
dry  and  burn  by  the  hot  weather.  By  this  time  a  field  of  rape  should  be 
ready;  it  is  probably  as  good  pasture  for  making  growth  and  gains  as  any 
other  one  kind  of  green  forage.  This  should  be  sown  in  May  and  the  pigs 
should  be  kept  off  of  it  until  it  becomes  a  few  inches  high,  after  which  it 
will  stand  extremely  heavy  pasturing. 

"Where  one  wishes  to  hog  down  corn  in  the  fall  by  turning  in  a  large 
number  to  fatten  for  market,  there  is  nothing  that  will  combine  with  this 
as  well  as  Dwarf  Essex  rape,  drilled  in  between  the  rows  just  after  the  last 
cultivation  of  corn.  By  the  time  the  corn  is  ready  to  turn  the  hogs  on  you 
have  an  ideal  ration  in  the  same  field;  or  rye  sown  with  the  rape  also  makes 
a  good  combination." 

No  greater  opportunity  exists  for  cheapening  pork  production 
than  through  the  general  adoption  of  a  forage  crop  system  for 
spring  pigs.  Where  alfalfa  pasture  is  used  in  this  climate  it  should 
not  be  pastured  earlier  than  May  1  nor  later  than  November,  as 
it  must  have  enough  growth  after  pasturing  to  make  a  cover  crop 
for  the  winter.  Where  rape  pasture  is  used  it  will  be  found  good 
at  any  time  during  the  growing  season  and  furnish  abundant  pas- 
ture after  the  clovers  are  dry  and  dead;  in  fact  will  furnish  good 
pasture  until  freezing  weather  comes.  It  can  be  used  either  for 
pasturing  or  for  soiling,  that  is,  cutting  and  carrying  to  the  lot 
where  the  pigs  are  kept  if  they  are  not  turned  into  the  field. 

Young  hogs  can  be  pushed  very  fast  by  having  this  good  rape 
pasture  and  ear  corn,  plus  one-tenth  of  the  corn  in  meat  meal  or 
best  quality  tankage.  This  meatmeal  or  tankage  is  a  great  help  in 
furnishing  the  necessary  protein  and  has  a  tendency  to  stop  the 
inclination  for  rooting  that  many  pigs  have  when  on  clover  or 
alfalfa. 

In  Winter  Quarters. — When  hogs  and  pigs  are  in  winter  quar- 
ters with  no  succulent  feed  such  as  pasture,  the  other  feeds  may 
be  supplemented  by  using  a  good  quality  of  third  cutting  alfalfa 
which  is  greener  and  better  than  that  of  former  cuttings.  This 
may  be  fed  whole  in  racks  made  for  the  purpose  to  save  waste,  or 
it  may  be  run  through  a  cutting  machine  and  chaffed,  and  then 
mixed  2  parts  chaffed  alfalfa,  one  part  shelled  corn  and  one  part 


THE  IDEAL  HOG  FARM  » 

oats,  thoroughly  mixed  and  ground  through  a  steel  burr  grinder, 
which  is  better  than  any  other  for  this  kind  of  a  mixture.  If 
desired  a  little  middlings  may  be  added  and  a  little  tankage  to  make 
a  balanced  ration,  and  a  complete  one.  This  may  be  fed  dry  in 
troughs  where  there  would  be  no  waste,  or  can  be  steamed  a  little 
and  thoroughly  mixed  so  that  all  particles  of  ground  feed  and 
alfalfa  are  well  mixed.  This  makes  an  ideal  feed  in  the  winter  for 
brood  sows  or  growing  sows.  A  little  of  it  for  fall  pigs  is  good  but 
they  should  also  have  a  feed  once  or  twice  a  day  of  a  warm  slop 
containing  skimmed  milk  if  possible,  or  enough  tankage  to  balance 
the  other  materials. 

Location. — Further  along  the  line  of  the  ideal  hog  farm,  I  wish 
to  say  that  this  farm  should  be  located  as  near  as  possible  to  a 
good  shipping  point  or  on  an  Interurban  line  leading  to  some  city 
where  one  or  more  railroads  enter,  the  more  the  better.  It  should 
also  be  located  on  a  good  hard  road  rather  than  on  muddy  lanes  or 
steep  hills,  so  that  pigs  could  be  delivered  at  any  time  during  the 
year  rain  or  shine.  It  should  also  have  some  portion  of  the  farm 
covered  with  a  nice  growth  of  trees  where  dry  sows  and  young 
hogs  could  be  carried  along  on  good  pasture  between  breeding  sea- 
sons. This  pasture  for  best  results  should  have  springs  or  running 
water  of  some  kind,  but  springs  would  be  preferable  rather  than  a 
stream  running  through  the  farm.  The  farm  should  be  large 
enough  to  furnish  all  the  grain  and  feed  that  would  be  used  in  the 
business,  as  well  as  straw  to  make  first-class  bedding,  and  fields 
should  all  be  rather  small,  say  from  10  to  20  acres  each  and  all 
fences,  both  outside  and  division,  should  be  made  of  woven  wire 
with  steel  or  cement  posts,  so  that  when  once  built  there  would 
be  no  need  of  repairing  for  a  generation.  Suitable  gates  made  of 
galvanized  piping  with  woven  wire  should  open  into  every  field  and 
pasture.  These  gates  should  not  be  less  than  14  feet  wide,  so  that 
teams  could  be  driven  in  and  out  when  necessary.  Suitable  barns, 
nicely  painted  and  kept  in  good  repair,  should  be  of  sufficient  num- 
ber to  contain  all  the  products  of  the  farm,  both  grain,  hay  and 
straw.  A  small  building  used  as  a  shop  should  by  all  means  be  on 
every  well  regulated  breeding  farm,  where  crates,  hurdles  and 
anything  along  these  lines  could  be  made  as  needed.  This  shop 
should  be  furnished  with  a  complete  set  of  tools,  including  car- 
penters tools,  pump,  tongs,  various  kinds  of  wrenches  and  all  such 
tools  as  are  constantly  needed  on  a  farm. 

Shop  Equipment. — If  the  owner  has  any  knowledge  of  black- 
smithing  a  portable  forge,  and  a  drilling  outfit  should  also  be  in 
the  shop.  Also  a  good  heating  stove  so  that  work  could  be  done 
here  in  cold  or  stormy  weather.  ^  If  the  business  was  large  enough 
to  justify,  a  nice  small  office  should  be  on  every  breeding  farm,  so 
that  all  comers  would  have  a  place  where  they  could  go  and  "talk 
hog"  to  their  heart's  content  without  being  obliged  to  do  this  in 
the  dwelling.  All  buildings  should  be  built  of  good  material,  nicely 
painted  and  always  kept  in  good  condition.  The  various  Jiog 
houses,  as  well  as  the  smaller  individual  ones  should  all  be  nicely 


10 


FORTY  YEARS'   EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 


made  of  lumber  and  well  painted  and  each  should  be  numbered. 
A  plat  of  the  farm  proper  should  also  be  made  by  a  surveyor  and 
each  field  numbered,  so  that  a  regular  record  can  be  kept  of  what 
each  field  produced  and  what  its  crop  rotation  should  be  each  year. 
All  convenient  utensils  should  be  kept  on  every  swine  breeding 
farm  such  as  mixing  vat,  steam  boiler  or  water  heater,  good  well 
made  galvanized  pails  and  dippers,  a  set  of  scales  in  the  feed  house 
or  some  other  convenient  barn  where  pigs  and  feed  for  them  can  be 
weighed,  so  that  one  could  keep  his  feed  account  and  know  how 
much  feed  he  was  giving  each  different  lot  of  pigs  or  hogs.  Water 
should  be  in  every  feed  house,  either  pumped  directly  with  windmill 
or  engine  or  from  a  compressed  air  water  system.  A  low  down 
wagon  should  be  had,  with  the  bottom  not  over  12  or  14  inches  above 
the  ground  large  enough  to  hold  three  to  five  barrels,  or  in  lieu  of 
this  a  galvanized  tank  made  to  set  on  the  wagonT'with  about  4  com- 
partments holding  a  barrel  or  more  each,  with  covers  strongly 
hinged  with  iron  hinges  to  cover  openings,  so  there  would  be  no 
slopping  from  the  tank  when  hauled  from  yard  to  yard  or  from 
field  to  field.  Feed  house  should  be  so  arranged  that  this  wagon 
could  be  driven  into  it,  where  feed  and  water  could  be  mixed 
and  where  the  steam  could  be  turned  into  the  feed  in  cold  weather 
if  desired. 

If  a  central  hog  house  is  used  a  system  of  ventilation  should  be 
arranged  so  that  the  walls  would  not  be  covered  with  dampness  or 
ice  during  cold  weather. 

A  chute  for  loading  pigs  into  wagon  or  into  crates  set  on  a 
platform  wagon  should  be  made  and  set  on  a  pair  of  wheels,  so 
that  it  would  almost  balance  and  could  be  wheeled  from  one  place 
to  another,  a  picture  of  which  is  shown  herewith. 


Chute  for  Loading  Hogs  Into  Wagon  or  Crate 


THE  IDEAL  HOG  FARM 


11 


This  will  be  found  much  more  convenient  than  to  lift  the  crate 
from  the  ground  whenever  you  wish  to  load  a  hog.  A  small  pen  in 
the  swine  house  or  other  place  where  water  is  convenient  should  be 
made  with  a  cement  floor  and  outlet  to  sewer,  where  pigs  could  be 
sprayed  or  washed  and  cleaned  ready  for  shipment.  Pigs  should 
always,  especially  during  the  warmer  months,  be  nice  and  clean 
before  being  crated  for  shipment.  In  fact  everything  about  the 
farm  of  the  breeder  should  be  attractive  in  appearance  and  general 
arrangement. 

Pigs  about  the  same  age  and  size  should  always  be  yarded  or 
pastured  together,  as  they  show  to  much  better  advantage ;  in  other 
words  the  herd  should  be  divided  up  in  as  even  bunches  as  pos- 
sible, all  yearlings  together,  under  year  sows  or  boars  in  separate 
yards  each,  early  spring  pigs  and  late  ones  in  separate  yards,  and 
so  on  all  along  the  line.  It  makes  a  better  impression  on  a  visitor 
than  to  see  all  ages  and  sizes  running  together. 


CHAPTER  II 

A  COMPLETE  SWINE  HOUSE 

Where  one  is  raising  hogs  on  a  large  scale  and  does  not  have  to 
skimp  for  money  to  build  proper  buildings,  the  building  known 
as  the  Myers  plan,  Plate  I,  is  probably  the  most  convenient  swine 
house,  with  pasture  and  house  attached,  that  could  be  built.  The 
swine  house  proper  is  built  in  a  circle  87  ft.  in  diameter  with  20 
pens  around  the  outer  circle,  each  pen  being  13  ft.  front  by  12  ft. 
in  depth  and  each  opening  to  a  one-half  acre  pasture,  as  shown  in 
ground  plan  of  building  and  pastures,  Plate  II,  with  the  sleeping 
house  at  rear  end  of  each  lot,  with  additional  larger  pastures  open- 
ing out  from  each  of  these  half-acre  ones.  You  will  notice  also 


PLATE  I.     Myers   Plan   Hog   House 


by  the  ground  plan  that  each  half-acre  lot  has  artificial  shade 
along  the  fence  between  each  two  lots,  thus  accommodating  the 
pigs  in  each  yard. 

The  house,  proper,  which  stands  in  the  center  of  the  circle,  is  30 
ft.  in  diameter,  with  feed  bins  around  the  circle,  Plate  IV.  This  part 
should  be  made  with  all  concrete  floor.  You  will  notice  an  alley 
out  each  side  of  this  feed  house.  Inside  is  located  a  hydrant  or 
pump  with  a  drain  which  runs  to  a  sewer.  A  steel  overhead  track 
with  carrier  should  be  used  in  this  building  to  carry  the  feed  out 
to  the  cement  walk  around  the  front  of  the  feeding  pens,  thus 
making  a  very  convenient  way  of  feeding,  requiring  no  heavy 
lifting  to  feed  in  a  trough,  as  shown  in  the  side  view.  These 

12 


A  COMPLETE   SWINE  HOUSE 


13 


troughs  should  be  made  of  cast  iron  or  boiler  iron.  I  would  suggest 
in  making  these  houses  that  a  good  article  of  prepared  roofing 
other  than  galvanized  iron  be  used.  Galvanized  iron  draws  too 
much  heat,  and  another  thing :  it  would  have  to  be  painted  every 
year  or  it  would  soon  rust  out.  A  wagon  scale  should  be  located 


PLATE  II.     Ground  Plan  of  Pastures 


in  the  circle  outside  of  the  feed  house,  this  circle  being  24  ft.  5  in. 
in  width  between  the  concrete  walk  and  the  feed  house  all  the 
way  around  and  should  be  filled  with  cinders  or  gravel.  This 
style  of  house  would  be  a  delightful  place  to  work  in  and  care  for 
the  herd,  as  one  would  never  have  to  be  out  in  the  weather  during 
summer  or  winter.  All  feeding  would  be  done  on  a  concrete  floor, 
and  the  pigs  could  go  out  and  in  from  the  feeding  floor  to  the 
pastures  or  sleeping  quarters  at  will.  \  strongly  recommend  this 
house  where  a  breeder  has  a  large  enough  herd  and  business  to 
justify  it.  It  would  require  about  40  acres  of  land  for  the  entire 


14 


FORTY  YEARS'  EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 


PLATE  III.     Sectional  View  of  the  Myers  Swine  House 


A  COMPLETE  SWINE  HOUSE 


15 


plant.  The  land  should  be  well-set  in  clover,  alfalfa  and  other 
grasses  before  being  occupied.  To  make  an  extra  nice  job,  the 
yards  could  all  be  fenced  with  what  is  known  as  the  galvanized 
hollow  iron  post,  about  2  in.  in  diameter,  which  should  be  made 
5  ft.  in  length  and  driven  into  the  ground  and  the  woven  wire 


reed   Hcutt  tn<t  FttJ'me.  Pt»s  /"*«* 
PLATE  IV 


fence  attached  with  proper  brace,  etc.  These  posts  usually  come 
in  7  ft.  lengths  and  cost  around  30c  each,  but  could  be  made  2  ft. 
shorter  and  driven  into  the  ground  2  ft.,  which  would  leave  them 
only  3  ft.  above  ground,  which  with  a  33  in.  woven  wire  fence 
would  make  a  handsome  job.  They  will  last  almost  as  long  as 
cement  posts ;  have  little  slots  cut  in  them  to  hold  each  wire,  which 
can  be  closed  with  a  hammer  after  the  wire  is  entered. 


16  FORTY  YEARS'  EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 


PLATE  V.     Some  Types  of  Movable  Hog  Houses,  Built  at  Iowa  State  College. 
Photos  Courtesy  Animal  Husbandry  Department,  Iowa  State  College  of  Agriculture. 


A  COMPLETE  SWINE  HOUSE 


17 


•••••i 


PLATE  VI.     Some  Types  of  Movable  Hog  Houses  Built    at  the  Iowa  State  College. 
Photos  Courtesy  Animal  Husbandry  Department,  Iowa  State  College  of  Agriculture. 


CHAPTER  III 
IMPORTANCE  OF  GOOD  PASTURE 

In  forty  years*  experience  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
many  breeders  and  growers  of  swine,  whether  for  the.  purebred 
trade  or  the  market,  fail  to  appreciate  the  importance  of  good  pas- 
ture at  all  times,  and  the  use  of  succulent  feeds  at  such  times  and 
in  such  parts  of  the  country  where  snow  or  cold  weather  prevents 
pasture  during  a  portion  of  the  year. 

Probably  there  is  nothing  more  desirable  as  a  pasture  for  pigs 
than  some  one  of  the  clovers.  Of  course  different  states  and  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country  grow  different  kinds  of  grasses,  and  the 
hograiser  should  select  such  clovers  or  grasses  as  may  be  adapted 
to  his  locality.  I  would  name  the  common  red  clover  first.  While 


Figs  in  Clover 

no  better  than  alfalfa,  it  will  stand  tramping  and  close  cropping 
better.  Of  course  the  clovers  in  the  colder  states  are  not  ready 
for  the  pigs  quite  as  early  as  are  some  other  kinds  of  green  feed. 
Where  this  is  the  case,  nothing  is  better  than  an  early  sowed  field 
of  winter  rye  that  had  a  fair  start  the  fall  previous  and  also  has 
been  used  as  pasture  when  not  covered  with  snow.  This  grain  is 
the  earliest  to  form  a  good  green  bite  in  the  early  spring,  and  will 
give  an  abundance  of  good  pasture  until  such  time  as  the  clovers 
or  alfalfa  are  of  proper  growth. 

It  is  generally  acknowledged  that  while  alfalfa  is  a  splendid 
pasture,  it  will  not  stand  close  grazing,  and  it  will  die  out  sooner 
than  other  grasses;  for  this  reason  we  have  always  kept  our  hogs 
off  the  alfalfa  fields,  and  especially  should  this  be  done  during  the 
winter. 

18 


IMPORTANCE  OF  GOOD  PASTURE  19 

Rape  Valuable. — If  there  is  any  prospect  in  the  spring  of 
the  pasture  lot  becoming  short  or  danger  of  its  becoming  injured 
by  dry  weather,  it  is  desirable  to  prepare  for  this  emergency  by 
sowing  a  field  of  dwarf  essex  rape,  which  is  the  best  substitute  for 
clover  or  alfalfa  that  I  know  of.  In  fact,  every  hograiser  should 
sow  a  field  of  rape,  as  it  is  one  of  the  best  of  all  hog  feeds.  This 
should  be  sown  as  early  in  the  spring  as  possible  after  the  ground 
becomes  warm,  and  should  not  be  used  as  a  pasture  until  it  is  six 
inches  or  more  in  height.  After  it  once  has  a  good  start  the  pigs 
will  never  be  able  to  keep  it  down,  and  this  feed  is  good  as  a  pas- 
ture feed  even  until  freezing  weather  comes  in  the  fal^  and  during 
the  months  of  July  and  August  when  all  other  kinds  of  green  food 
are  withering  and  dried  out  this  will  furnish  a  very  satisfactory 
green  feed. 

We  have  fed  more  or  less  rape  for  years  and  have  never  had 
anything  but  good  results.  Occasionally  I  have  read  of  some 
trouble  with  the  pigs  becoming  scabby  or  sore  about  the  ears  and 
parts  of  the  body  that  come  in  contact  with  the  rape;  especially 
when  there  was  a  dew  or  slight  rain,  making  the  leaves  wet.  I 
understand,  however,  this  trouble  occurs  only  with  the  white  breed 
of  hogs;  their  skin  seems  a  little  more  sensitive  and  inclined  to 
blister  in  the  sun,  especially  if  wet. 

An  acre  or  two  of  rape,  if  a  good  stand  and  on  good  soil,  will 
produce  a  surprising  amount  of  first-class  pasture.  If  it  is  desira- 
ble to  sow  a  spring  grain  to  be  used  before  rape  could  become  the 
proper  size  for  grazing,  a  mixture  of  barley  and  oats  and  even  field 
peas  makes  a  desirable  mixture  to  sow.  I  believe  a  hog  prefers 
green  barley  sown  early  in  the  spring  to  any  of  the  other  varieties 
of  spring-sown  grain.  Why  this  is  I  cannot  explain,  but  if  a  patch 
of  oats  and  another  of  barley  are  sown  early  in  the  spring,  side  by 
side,  and  pigs  turned  into  the  two  lots  when  grain  is  a  few  inches 
high,  they  will  eat  the  barley  all  off  and  give  little  attention  to 
the  oats,  probably  for  the  reason  that  the  barley  is  more  palatable. 

Shade — Natural  or  Artificial? — The  question  of  shade  in  the 
pastures  or  lots  where  pigs  are%kept  during  the  summer,  is  of  great 
importance.  The  pig  being  an  animal  that  does  not  perspire,  of 
course  can  not  stand  excessive  heat  and  must  have  shade  or  suffer 
the  consequences. 

Where  the  hog  pastures  can  be  arranged  in  a  wooded  lot,  that 
is  all  that  can  be  desired.  Where  such  is  not  the  case  artificial 
shade  of  some  kind  must  be  furnished.  In  lots  on  open,  sunny  land 
where  there  are  no  trees,  very  satisfactory  arrangement  for  shade 
can  be  had  by  setting  posts  along  the  division  fence  every  sixteen 
feet  with  corresponding  posts  eight  feet  each  side  of  the  fence, 
about  four  or  five  feet  high  along  the  fence  with  the  outer  ones 
about  two  and  a  half  feet  high,  thus  forming  a  covered  place  six- 
teen feet  square  with  the  roof  slightly  sloping  to  the  east  and  to 
the  west,  or  even  each  of  the  four  ways.  The  cover  should  be  of 


20  FORTY   YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG   MAN 

good  lumber  and  the  ends  of  the  boards  projecting  well  over  to 
prevent  the  sun  shining  under.  This  place  should  have  no  floor, 
and  the  ground  after  being  used  will  naturally  become  rooted  up 
and  often  gets  very  dusty;  this  condition  can  be  overcome  by  one 
or  two  liberal  sprayings  of  crude  oil,  and  in  extremely  hot  weather 
if  the  pigs  suffer  with  heat,  water  can  be  thrown  on  the  ground 
under  the  shades  each  day. 

Where  many  hogs  are  pastured  in  a  large  lot  of  several  acres 
or  more,  and  there  is  no  natural  shade,  a  long  shed  can  be  built 
with  the  sideirleft  open  for  about  two  feet  above  the  ground.  This 
should  also  be  kept  free  from  dust  in  the  above  manner  and  well 
ventilated,  and  as  dark  as  possible  during  the  hot,  dry  weather 
when  flies  are  troublesome.  But  no  shade  equals  that  of  a  good 
tree  with  spreading  branches  in  a  woods  pasture  well  set  in  white 
clover  and  bluegrass.  However,  I  do  not  recommend  the  use  of 
a  thickly  set  underbrush  or  where  the  trees  are  so  close  together 
that  the  sun  cannot  penetrate  to  all  parts  some  time  during  the 
day.  Avoid  such  a  place,  as  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  are  necessary 
for  complete  sanitation. 


CHAPTER  IV 
NECESSITY  OF  PLENTY  OF  PURE  WATER 

The  question  of  water  for  swine  at  all  times  is  one  that  I  fear 
is  not  looked  upon  with  as  much  importance  as  it  should  be.  For 
instance,  many  feeders — men  who  are  really  good  feeders,  too — 
seem  to  think  that  when  feeding  pigs  or  older  animals  on  a  mix- 
ture of  wet  feeds,  containing  more  or  less  water,  the  animal  is  get- 
ting all  the  water  it  requires  in  eating  a  half  pail  or  more  of  nicely 
mixed  wet  feed.  To  prove  that  this  is  not  the  case  generally,  let 
the  feeder  pour  a  little  pure  water  into  a  separate  trough  and  nine 
times  out  of  ten  the  pig  will  take  a  drink  of  it  while  he  is  eating 
his  wet  feed.  Of  course  it  is  sometimes  rather  discouraging  to 
water  a  large  number  of  hogs  in  separate  troughs,  and  an  hour  or 
so  after  they  have  been  fed  a  wet  feed  notice  that  in  several  of  the 
lots  or  yards  some  of  the  pigs  do  not  seem  to  drink  any  of  it,  but 
just  remember  some  of  them  will  drink  heartily.  For  this  reason 
it  is  far  better,  where  possible,  that  a  drinking  fountain  sheuld 
be  used  where  the  pigs  or  hogs  can  go  at  will ;  this,  of  course,  where 
there  is  no  natural  spring  or  water  flowing  through  the  yards  or 
pasture  lots. 

I  know  personally  that  I  drink  and  enjoy  lots  of  good  cold  water, 
and  while  it  is  claimed  by  some  that  the  drinking  of  water  during 
the  meal  is  injurious,  I  have  always  drunk  all  the  cold  water — 
and  it  is  never  too  cold — with  my  meal  that  I  wanted.  I  am  now 
much  over  three  score  years  and  still  drink  water,  and  have  never 
felt  any  ill  results,  and  weigh  over  250  pounds.  I  have  an  attrac- 
tive stenographer  who  is  helping  me  on  this  book — and  a  great 
help,  too — who  never  drinks  any  water  to  speak  of.  She  weighs 
106  pounds,  although  not  three  score  and  ten,  but  I  wish  you  to 
note  the  difference  in  weight,  and  that  water  is  a  valuable  thing 
for  producing  flesh  as  well  as  satisfying  a  normal  thirst. 

Systems  of  Watering. — There  are  many  ways  of  furnishing 
water  to  the  herd.  If  many  are  allowed  to  pasture  together 
or  are  yarded  in  4he  same  winter  quarters,  it  is  an  easy  matter 
by  having  self-watering  fountains,  as  it  would  be  necessary  for 
only  one  such  fountain  to  be  used  in  a  covered  shed  or  place 
where  forty  to  fifty  animals  were  daily  allowed  to  congregate. 
Where  animals  are  kept,  .as  has  been  our  custom,  in  yards  with 
only  a  few  in  each,  it  is  quite  a  serious  matter,  as  each  lot  must 
either  have  a  drinking  fountain,  or  the  animals  must  be  regularly 
watered  each  day,  and  during  the  cold  winter  months  no  water 
must  be  left  over  night  in  the  trough  to  freeze.  We  have  a  self- 
watering  fountain  which  is  connected  with  a  forty-barrel  supply 
tank  so  arranged  that  a  lamp  can  be  safely  set  under  the  drinking 
cup  and  fountain,  always  keeping  the  water  warm.  This  is  a  very 

21 


22 


FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 


desirable  fountain,  but  could  not  be  used  where  there  were  forty 
or  more  lots  with  a  few;  pigs  in  each,  unless  there  was  a  regular 
system  of  water  pipes  running  along  through  these  lots,  and  the 
cost  would  be  so  great  that  it  could  hardly  be  afforded ;  hence,  out- 
side of  our  one  or  two  adjoining  large  lots,  we  are  obliged  during 
the  extremely  cold  months  to  water  each  individual  lot  with  water 
that  has  been  warmed.  In  southern  states  it  is  probably  not  neces- 
sary to  use  water  that  has  had  the  chill  taken  off — which  is  a 
much  more  desirable  condition. 

There  are  other  watering  fountains  on  the  market  for  use  dur- 
ing the  extremely  cold  weather,  arranged  with  a  firebox  for  heating 
the  reservoir  above,  with  openings  along  the  drinking  tank  on 
either  side.  In  the  case  of  breeders  who  use  a  central  hog  house, 
a  pipe  running  along  the  troughs  on  either  side  of  the  alley  and 
back  to  the  water  heater  is  very  convenient  to  keep  the  chill  off 
the  drinking  water,  but  these  are  not  common.  It  is  a  small  matter 
in  what  way  water  is  furnished  daily  to  every  hog  and  pig  on  the 
farm,  but  it  is  of  much  importance  that  it  be  furnished  in  some  way. 


j\qr\cu\Lura\ 
.ArwTKJl  Nujbondry  Secti 
-•Iowa  Experiment  Stolon  •- 

PLATE  VII.     A  Half-monitor  Roof  Type  of  Community  Hog  House,   Hollow  Tile  or 

Brick  Construction 


CHAPTER  V 
IMPORTANCE  OF  A  GOOD  SIRE 

It  is  an  old  maxim  that  "a  good  sire  is  half  the  herd."  If  a 
poor  sire,  he  is  all  the  herd,  and  that  means  failure.  Whether 
this  is  true  or  not,  it  is  of  great  importance  that  the  sire  at  the  head 
of  the  herd  should  be  a  good  one,  not  only  individually,  but  what 
is  more,  he  should  be  bred  along  blood  lines  that  have  proven  pre- 
potent and  have  made  good  even  though  used  on  promiscuously 
bred  sows;  a  strongly  line-bred  boar  with  an  ancestry  that  is  un- 
questioned in  the  ability  to  breed  on. 

Often  one  may  breed  an  animal  that  has  great  individual  quality, 
but  without  good  ancestry,  and  such  an  animal  should  not  be  used 
as  a  sire.  A  prepotent  sire  never  comes  by  chance.  He  must  trace 
to  good  ancestry  to  be  of  much  value  to  the  breeding  herd.  There 
is  no  breed  of  swine  without  a  few  outstanding  sires  that  have  had 
great  influence  on  the  breed.  This  great  value  comes  from  inher- 
ited excellence  through  generations  of  good  blood,  and  is  the  only 
reliable  method  of  selecting  the  desirable  sires  in  any  breed. 

In  making  a  selection  of  a  sire  for  a  pure-bred  herd,  look  first 
to  individuality,  then  to  the  breeding  back  through  several  gener- 
ations; see  that  his  ancestors  are  right  and  what  they  have  done 
for  the  breed.  If  you  find  all  this  to  be  of  a  high  order  and  the 
boar  suits  you,  is  a  high-class  individual,  showing  true  character- 
istics of  his  breed,  rugged,  full  of  vigor,  masculine  in  appearance, 
and  with  all  the  size  possible,  not  sacrificing  quality ;  conformation 
as  near  the  standard  of  excellence  of  his  breed  as  possible,  buy  him. 

Among  the  few  great  sires  that  have  stamped  themselves  on  the 
offspring  of  any  breed,  one  can  find  their  characteristics  cropping 
out  even  to  many  generations,  and  if  you  will  go  into  almost  any 
prominent  herd  of  the  different  breeds  you  will  at  once  notice 
a  few  outstanding  pigs  that  show  in  many  ways  unusual  excellence, 
and  if  you  take  the  trouble  to  look  up  their  breeding  you  will 
invariably  find  that  they  were  either  sired  by  some  great  sire  or 
by  a  son  or  a  grandson  of  his,  or  from  a  sow  by  some  great  out- 
standing sire ;  plainly  showing  the  ability  of  such  a  sire  to  repro- 
duce the  excellent  qualities  so  much  in  demand. 

On  a  recent  visit  to  our  farm  by  an  expert  in  pedigrees,  it  was 
found  after  -we  had  selected  some  fifteen  head  of  pigs,  as  being 
the  tops  of  the  litters,  that  every  one  of  them  traced  to  sires  of 
great  ancestry. 

Once  in  checking  up  our  card  system  we  found  a  certain  sow 
had  produced  a  litter  of  only  six  pigs;  two  boars  and  four  sows. 
The  choicest  boar  was  given  to  the  party  who  had  offered  us  an 
excellent  sow  if  we  would  breed  her  to  a  certain  boar  and  select 
him  the  best  boar  pig ;  we  were  to  have  the  sow  and  balance  of  the 

28 


24  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

litter  for  the  service  of  the  boar.  The  Utter  above  was  the  result. 
We  sold  the  four  sows  to  prominent  breeders  for  $1,250.  All  of 
the  sows  proved  great  producers.  One  had  a  litter  of  seven  pigs, 
one  of  which  was  used  at  the  head  of  the  herd  for  years.  Three 
of  this  litter  were  made  barrows  for  show  at  the  International 
Exposition,  where  one  of  them  was  the  Grand  Champion  over  all 
breeds  and  the  others  were  winners  in  class.  All  this  goes  to 
prove  the  value  of  a  great  sire,  which  in  this  case  gave  a  good 
record  and  brought  us  a  great  sow  for  the  herd,  and  $1,250,  for 
the  service  of  the  boar. 

There  are  many  such  instances  on  record,  which  emphasize  the 
value  of  the  right  kind  of  a  pedigree  as  well  as  "some  hog" — 
which  is  certainly  very  necessary.  It  is  also  of  great  importance 
that  the  same  critical  judgment  be  used  in  the  selection  of  the 
brood  sows  on  which  the  herd  is  founded  that  the  future  may  be 
an  assured  success. 

Every  breeder  should  be  constantly  on  the  lookout  for  a  sire 
which  he  has  reason  to  believe  would  help  to  improve  his  herd. 
It  is  not  likely  that  any  man  is  so  well  fixed  in  regard  to  sires 
that  he  need  not  think  of  better  ones.  Wise  breeders  are  always 
open-eyed  and  open-minded  in  reference  to  new  sires  for  their 
herds.  They  keep  posted  as  to  the  performances  of  both  boars 
and  sows  representing  popular  blood  lines.  Moreover,  they  cor- 
respond with  or  visit  many  of  the  less  prominent  breeders  for 
the  purpose  of  finding  out  how  things  are  going.  Such  men 
make  most  of  the  so-called  "lucky  strikes."  When  they  have  the 
evidence  that  given  blood  lines  are  producing  extraordinarily 
good  things  they  are  enterprising  enough  to  secure  boars  or  sows 
representing  those  blood  lines.  Sometimes  they  have  to  pay  long 
prices;  just  as  often  they  secure  bargains. 

A  breeder  who  would  steadily  advance  must  pay  studious  atten- 
tion to  the  operations  of  his  fellow-breeders,  and  thus  keep  that 
breadth  of  mind  which  is  essential  to  genuine  progress.  He  must 
war  against  narrowness,  and  be  big  enough  to  see  real  merit 
wherever  it  exists. 

A  Sire's  Influence.— In  speaking  of  the  influence  of  the  sire 
Prof.  C.  S.  Plumb  of  the  Ohio  State  University  says : 

"There  is  a  great  deal  to  learn  regarding  the  reproduction  of  charac- 
teristics among  animals.  However,  one  thing  is  pretty  well  established, 
and  that  is,  that  what  we  know  as  well-bred  animals  transmit  their 
qualities  with  more  certainty  than  do  those  of  inferior  breeding.  It 
is  unfortunate  that  the  results  of  the  most  successful  experience  in 
breeding  are  not  studied  more  carefully  and  made  greater  use  of  by  tb.e 
rank  and  file  of  breeders.  The  average  man,  a  breeder  so-called,  is  not 
in  fact  a  student  of  breeding  at  all.  Far  too  many  men  are  interested 
in  simply  getting  their  females  in  pig,  without  regard  to  the  fitness  of 
the  sire.  That  methodless  way  has  actually  been  the  undoing  of  many 
an  American  herd.  This  illustration  has  been  made  use  of  by  one 
author.  Let  two  men  start  to  breeding  at  the  same  time.  One  selects 
a  sire  with  great  care  and  mates  him  to  a  lot  of  females  with  the  view 


IMPORTANCE  OP  GOOD  SIRE  25 

of  remedying  their  defects  in  the  offspring  and  of  systematically  pro- 
ducing a  type.  The  other  buys  a  sire  with  no  special  plan  in  mind. 
He  merely  wishes  a  male  and  has  no  ideals  to  work  toward.  What  is 
the  result?  After  a  term  of  years  one  man  has  a  herd  that  approaches 
uniformity  and  that  gives  results  in  a  measure  approaching  his  ideals. 
The  other  has  bred  a  nondescript  herd  and  produced  nothing  of  serious 
value.  The  stock  produced  by  one  is  in  constant  demand.  The  other 
wonders  why  he  cannot  find  buyers. 

"We  have  some  breeders  in  America  of  a  constructive  sort,  men  who 
have  done  much  for  the  breed.  These  men  have  had  ideals  and  have 
sought  to  mate  with  the  view  of  making  something  better  than  they 
found.  The  number  of  men  who  desire  to  purchase  $12.00  to  $15.00 
boars  is  far  in  excess  of  what  some  might  think.  They  want  something 
pretty  good  at  that  What  they  really  need  is  a  scorching  education,  by 
which  they  are  made  to  comprehend  the  meaning  of  the  breeding  business 
and  what  it  leads  to.  It  is  most  unfortunate  that  so  many  men  measure 
their  needs  by  a  definite  price  rather  than  a  specific  sort  of  animal. 

' '  Here  is  a  man  who  has  a  lot  of  sows  that  are  inferior  in  ham  develop- 
ment. They  may  be  very  good  otherwise.  With  him  it  should  not  be 
cost  as  a  first  consideration.  Rather  it  should  be  the  securing  of  a  sire 
to  improve  their  weakness.  No  man  today  holds  the  trade  of  the  par- 
ticular buyer  who  does  not  recognize  this  fact  and  governs  himself 
accordingly.  Thus  it  becomes  apparent,  and  successful  breeders  readily 
agree  to  it,  that  the  man  who  expects  to  succeed  must  mate  his  hogs  to 
secure  the  most  desirable  form  through  the  use  of  the  right  sort  of  sires. 

"In  my  conversation  with  the  best  breeders  of  my  acqaintance  they 
have  very  generally  agreed  that  the  most  profitable  animals  they  have 
owned  were  the  highest  priced  ones.  Remember,  I  have  specified  \  lest 
breeders,  not  promoters  and  speculators.  A  good  many  men  have  paid 
very  high  prices  and,  as  we  say,  "been  stung,"  but  this  has  no  applica- 
tion in  this  discussion.  In  the  purchase  of  breeding  stock,  and  especially 
the  herd  headers,  it  is  a  big  mistake  for  one  to  buy  animals  without 
previous  inspection.  If  one  will  sit  down  and  figure  out  how  far-reaching 
the  influence  of  a  boar  may  be  felt  in  the  generations,  he  may  conclude 
that  it  will  pay  to  look  into  the  subject  pretty  carefully  before  buying. 
Think  what  Longfellow  meant  in  the  Gentry  herd!  In  more  recent  years 
what  a  wonderful  benefit  has  come  to  the  breed  through  the  use  of 
Masterpiece,  one  of  the.  real  high-priced  boars,  in  the  herd  of  both  Love- 
joy  and  Corsa.  Longfellow  and  Masterpiece  are  names  to  conjure  with 
today,  and  they  were  the  products  of  men  who  measured  the  real  value 
of  both  pedigree  and  individual  merit. 

"The  young  man  starting  out  in  the  development  of  a  herd  will  do 
well  to  secure  high-class  animals,  bred  well.  Better  try  one  good  female, 
a  real  topper,  of  both  individual  merit  and  with  a  popular  pedigree,  than 
half  a  dozen  common  ones.  She  will  pay  much  the  best  in  the  end. 
That  fact  has  been  demonstrated  time  and  again.  And  the  cheap  sire  is 
to  be  avoided.  Young  men  should  be  ambitious  and  get  sires  that  bid  fair 
promise  to  reproduce  offspring  of  the  sort  in  demand.  If  one  aspires 
to  sell  breeding  stock,  a  cheap  pedigree  will  be  the  heaviest  handicap 
imaginable.  The  average  man  inquires  about  pedigree,  and  if  he  knows 
what  it  stands  for  he  will  not  want  the  animal  represented  by  a  poor 
pedigree,  excepting  at  little  above  pork  price.  The  intelligent,  discrimi- 
nating buyer  will  not  want  the  stock,  however,  at  any  price.  If  one  is 
not  seeking  the  trade  of  the  select  sort,  then  he  might  as  well  step  down 
and  out  as  a  producer  of  pure-bred  stock.  One  should  pattern  after  the 
successes,  not  the  failures.  If  one  breeder  is  to  have  inspiration,  it  must 
come  to  him  through  a  knowledge  of  the  results  secured  by  the  men 
who  know  how  and  who  have  succeeded." 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  HERD  BOAR 

It  is  necessary  that  the  herd  boar  should  be  a  good  one,  for  the 
reason  that  during  his  life  he  may  be  the  sire  of  hundreds 
of  pigs,  whereas  a  sow  will  only  produce  a  limited  number  during 
her  life  time,  and  if  the  boar  is  good  enough  to  improve  the 
standard  of  the  herd,  his  value  as  a  breeder  will  be  great  beyond 
compare.  It  is  such  sires  that  have  made  the  breeds  what  they 
are,  and  it  is  such  sires  that  command  almost  unlimited  prices. 

Generally  speaking,  the  sire  should  be  a  little  more  on  the  com- 
pact order  than  the  sow.  By  this  I  do  not  mean  a  chunky,  short, 
thick  boar,  but  one  showing  full  development  at  every  point, 
and  of  a  strictly  masculine  type.  There  is  nothing  so  unsatisfac- 
tory as  to  have  the  head  of  a  herd  show  a  feminine  appearance. 
The  boar  particularly  should  be  of  the  proper  type  of  the  breed 
he  represents. 

He  should  be  large,  without  sacrificing  quality;  smooth  and 
even  in  every  part;  a  typical  masculine  head;  eyes  and  ears  wide 
apart;  the  crest  short,  full,  smooth  and  free  from  any  creases; 
the  jowl  reasonably  full  and  well  laid  on  to  the  shoulders,  which 
should  be  smooth  and  free  from  creases;  a  full  heart  girth  ex- 
tending well  down;  and  the  bottom  lines  nearly  or  quite  on  a 
level,  with  as  deep  a  flank  as  possible;  rather  short  or  medium 
length  legs  with  bone  of\  good  size  and  quality;  pasterns  short 
and  straight,  and  the  hoofs  well  set ;  legs  standing  square  and  well 
under  him  and  straight,  like  those  of  a  Shorthorn,  with  long, 
deep  ham,  tail  set  well  up  and  of  good  size. 

This  type  and  description  would  fit  any  of  the  lard  breeds 
excepting  that  the  head  and  ear  should  be  characteristic  of  the 
breed  he  represents.  In  Poland-Chinas  a  medium  sized  ear  with 
the  proper  setting  and  roll  is  desired;  in  the  Duroc- Jersey  prac- 
tically the  same  type  of  head  and  ear,  only  a  little  more  length 
of  snout  allowable,  but  shorter  preferred.  These  descriptions 
should  be  insisted  on  in  making  selection,  in  order  that  the  off- 
spring may  show  an  improvement  each  year.  Careful  attention 
should  be  given  to  the  blood  lines  of  the  sire.  He  should  be  what 
is  known  as  an  intensive  breeder — one  able  to  reproduce  himself 
and  improve  the  get. 

Such  a  sire  is  more  often  than  otherwise  found  in  a  strongly 
"  line-bred "  boar,  carrying  the  blood  of  closely  related  ancestors. 
If  of  proper  conformation  he  can  be  relied  upon  to  prove  a  good 
sire. 

Personally,  I  would  never  think  of  introducing  a  herd  boar 
into  my  herd  of  brood  sows  that  did  not  carry  much  of  the 
blood  represented  by  the  sows,  and  yet  it  is  not  uncommon  for 

26 


THE  HERD  BOAR  27 

a  breeder  to  receive  letters  from  prospective  buyers  insisting  that 
a  boar  be  sent  that  is  in  no  way  related  on  either  side  to  the 
sows  to  which  he  is  to  be  bred. 

Handling  the  Herd  Boar. — The  disposition  and  good  behavior 
of  the  herd  boar  depends  much  on  how  he  is  handled  from  pig- 
hood  to  maturity. 

Docility  is  a  great  thing  in  a  herd  boar  and  he  should  be 
so  handled  that  he  will  never  cause  any  trouble  in  being  driven 
from  place  to  place.  Kindness  has  much  to  do  with  this.  The 
herdsman  or  owner  should  never  under  any  consideration  misuse 
the  boar,  but  handle  him  with  a  light  buggy  whip  and  have  him 
so  trained  that  he  can  be  driven  as  easily  as  a  horse  can  be  led. 
This  training  should  commence  when  the  pig  is  young,  and  by 
rubbing  him  a  little  at  feeding  time,  he  will  become  extremely 
gentle  and  look  for  these  attentions,  and  as  he  grows  up  under 
this  kind  of  treatment,  will  become  a  good  natured,  quiet,  easily 
handled  boar,  and  it  will  not  require  two  or  three  men  with  a 
hurdle  to  bring  him  out  of  his  yard  to  be  used. 

He  should  always  be  kept  in  a  substantially  fenced  yard,  with 
grass  to  graze  on  at  will,  a  dry  place  to  sleep  in  that  is  warm  enough 
for  comfort  in  winter  months,  and  nice  shade  to  lie  under  during 
the  hot  weather. 

Where  one  has  a  large  herd  and  keeps  several  matured  herd 
boars,  they  can  be  so  handled  that  they  will  run  together  like  a 
bunch  of  barrows.  This  can  be  done  by  cutting  off  the  tusks  very 
closely,  then  on  a  cool  day,  turn  them  all  together  after  thoroughly 
spraying  them  with  good  coal  tar  disinfectant,  and  stay  with  them 
until  they  have  had  their  fight  out  at  least  once  or  twice,  and  the 
boss  has  been  recognized,  after  which  they  will  let  each  other  alone. 
We  did  this  recently  with  five  aged  herd  boars,  and  by  having 
their  tusks  closely  cut  and  smooth,  they  could  not  make  any 
scratches  or  cuts  in  their  fight  and  after  several  good  tussles  they 
gave  it  up  and  afterwards  fed  together  along  the  trough  in  perfect 
harmony. 

During  the  breeding  season  the  herd  boar  should  be  well  fed 
and  receive  plenty  of  exercise.  If  the  lot  where  the  boar  or  boars 
are  kept,  is  where  they  can  see  the  sows,  even  though  at  some  little 
distance,  it  will,  generally  speaking,  cause  them  to  take  plenty  of 
exercise  walking  up  and  down  the  lot  along  the  fence,  especially 
during  the  breeding  season. 

If  they  do  not  take  this  exercise  it  will  be  necessary  to  exercise 
them  by  driving,  for  they  must  be  kept  in  prime  vigor  and  perfect 
condition.  It  is  never  wise  to  use  a  boar  just  after  being  fed ;  better 
use  him  early  in  the  morning  before  being  fed,  and  after  a  short 
walk,  so  as  to  allow  him  an  opportunity  to  empty  out  both  bowel 
and  bladder:  During  the  heavy  breeding  season  he  can  again  be 
used  toward  evening  after  &  little  exercise  and  before  feeding  for 
the  night. 


28 


FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A   PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 


Boar  Apart  from  Sows. — Where  one  has  only  a  few  sows  I 
believe  it  best  to  keep  the  boar  in  a  separate  lot  from  the  sows  and 
use  as  just  noted.  However,  on  some  farms  where  a  large  number 
of  sows  are  to  be  bred,  a  matured  boar  can  be  turned  in  the  same 
lot  with  ten  to  fifteen  sows  and  the  feeder  should  carefully  note 
sows  in  season  and  mark  down  the  date  the  same  as  he  would  if  the 
sow  was  taken  to  the  boar.  In  this  way  it  is  possible  to  keep  a  close 
record  of  breeding  dates  and  every  sow  will  doubtless  be  gotten 
safely  with  pig  without  injuring  the  boar.  Care  must  be  taken  not 
to  turn  a  young  boar  in  with  a  large  bunch  of  old  sows,  and  if  your 
boar  frets  under  this  treatment  and  is  getting  out  of  condition  it 
would  be  wise  to  put  him  by  himself,  feed  him  well  and  take  the 
sows  to  him.  Judgment  must  be  used  in  matters  of  this  kind,  as 
it  is  the  little  things  that  are  often  most  important  and  have  much 
to  do  with  the  success  or  failure  of  swine  breeding. 

While  the  herd  boar  should  not  be  overloaded  with  fat,  he 
should  be  in  a  reasonably  strong  fleshy  condition,  the  result  of 
proper  feeding  along  lines  that  will  not  produce  too  much  fat  or 
white  meat.  A  muscle-producing-f  eed  should  be  used,  such  as  mid- 
dling, oats,  peas,  barley,  a  little  corn  and  tankage,  etc.  Use  a  vari- 
ety of  feeds,  with  of  course  what  grass  he  will  eat,  or  other  succu- 
lent feed  such  as  should  be  found  on  every  farm. 


CHAPTER  VII 
SELECTING  BROOD  SOWS 

When  the  breeder  or  farmer  lays  the  foundation  of  a  herd  of 
brood  sows  it  is  necessary  that  he  first  make  up  his  mind  what  breed 
of  swine  he  wishes  to  commence  with.  I  am  not  recommending  any 
particular  breed.  There  are  a  number  of  standard  breeds  and  they 
are  all  good,  especially  five  or  six  of  them.  Looking  over  those 
known  as  the  lard  breeds,  one  cannot  go  wrong  by  selecting  any  of 
the  following,  named  in  alphabetical  order:  Berkshires,  Chester 
Whites,  Duroc-Jerseys,  Hampshires  and  Poland-Chinas.  There  are 
also  a  number  of  Cheshires  and  Victorias  used  in  the  far  eastern 
states,  probably  more  of  them  in  New  York  than  any  other  state, 
and  they  are  a  very  satisfactory  breed. 

Among  the  breeds  known  as  bacon  breeds,  are  the  Large  York- 
shires and  Tamworth.  Further  than  these  there  are  several  small 
breeds,  used  locally,  such  as  Essex,  Small  Yorkshires  and  Suffolks ; 
the  latter  three  breeds  are  used  little  in  the  western  states. 

Get  Posted. — After  deciding  on  one  of  these  breeds  for  a  foun- 
dation herd,  it  will  be  best  for  one  entering  the  business  to  post 
himself  as  well  as  possible  regarding  the  characteristics  of  that  par- 
ticular breed,  and  it  is  my  opinion  that  other  things  being  equal, 
it  is  better  for  a  man  to  produce  only  one  bred  and  that  should  be 
the  one  he  thinks  he  would  like  best.  He  should  never  attempt  to 
raise  a  breed  of  hogs  he  does  not  like,  either  purebreds  or  for  pork. 

If  he  is  going  to  raise  hogs  to  sell  on  the  market  or  to  follow 
cattle,  he  need  not  be  as  particular  about  bloodlines,  but  should  be 
just  as  particular  regarding  individual  type  and  characteristics. 
Let  him  make  a  careful  study  of  type,  size  and  general  conforma- 
tion, and  always  remember  the  desirability  of  getting  as  much  size 
as  possible  without  sacrificing  quality. 

First  let  him  see  a  number  of  the  breed  he  wishes  to  purchase, 
that  he  may  have  no  reason  afterwards  to  regret  his  selection.  This 
rule  will  be  necessary  no  matter  what  breed  he  selects.  No  better 
place  can  be  found  to  study  breed  characteristics  than  at  county 
and^state  fairs,  at  the  International,  and  at  public  sales  of  pure-bred 
swine. 

Type  of  Sow  to  Select. — It  is  well  in  making  the  selection  of 
a  foundation  herd  of  brood  sows  to  secure  only  those  that  show 
good  length  of  body,  well-sprung  ribs,  with  deep  sides ;  a  full  loin ; 
long  deep  hams,  with  as  straight  legs  as  possible ;  not  too  high  above 
ground  when  in  ordinary  condition,  and  with  a  full  heart  girth  giv- 
ing plenty  of  room  for  the  vital  organs  such  as  heart,  lungs,  etc. 
The  head  should  be  characteristic  of  the  breed.  The  neck  short  with 

29 


30  FOETY  YEARS'   EXPERIENCE  OP  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

a  reasonably  full  jowl  but  not  heavy  and  hanging — especially  not 
flabby.  This  should  connect  with  the  shoulders  smoothly ;  the  crest 
should  be  reasonably  short  without  crease  or  deep  wrinkle  laying 
both  on  top  and  sides  smoothly  to  the  shoulders.  Shoulders  should 
be  well  filled  but  not  too  broad  on  top  to  give  flat  appearance,  but 
should  be  round  and  smooth  without  crease  back  of  them  at  the 
heart  girth.  It  is  better  always  to  select  a  sow  that  is  strong  in  the 
back,  somewhat  arched,  so  that  even  when  carrying  a  heavy  litter 
her  back  would  show  no  sign  of  sagging.  From  the  loin  coupling, 
to  what  is  known  as  the  tail  head,  or  where  the  tail  sets,  should 
not  be  too  steep  or  drooping,  giving  the  top  line  a  bad  appearance, 
but  should  on  the  other  hand,  be  well  up  or  nearly  on  a  line  with 
the  loin — at  least  but  slightly  drooping. 

It  is  common  with  some  farmers  and  even  with  breeders  who 
have  had  years  of  experience,  to  select  a  brood  sow  that  is  too  short 
and  thick  throughout;  such  an  animal  is  not  apt  to  be  as  good  a 
producer  as  one  with  more  length,  more  depth  and  mellowness  in 
her  general  make-up.  One  should  look  well  to  the  bone,  pasterns 
and  feet.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  bone  should  be  extremely 
large  in  diameter,  like  that  of  a  Clydesdale  or  Shire  horse,  for  often 
an  extremely  large  bone  in  a  hog  does  not  have  as  much  firmness 
and  strength  as  a  bone  that  is  not  so  large.  The  pasterns  should 
be  as  short  and  upright  as  possible.  This  is  surely  one  of  the  im- 
portant things  that  we  should  look  after  in  all  of  our  present-day 
breeds.  If  the  pastern  is  short  and  the  bone  of  good  quality  there 
will  never  be  any  trouble  with  broken-down  feet. 

When  it  comes  to  the  foot  proper,  the  toes  should  be  short  and 
not  too  sprawling,  or  in  other  words  they  should  set  rather  close 
together.  The  legs  should  be  straight  from  a  side  view  of  the 
animal,  as  well  as  from  an  end  or  front  view.  Often  one  finds  a 
hog  with  a  front  leg  as  crooked  as  a  "fist"  dog,  with  the  knees  close 
together  and  feet  wide  apart,  giving  a  very  bad  appearance  to  the 
animal.  Regarding  the  hind  legs,  they  should  be  as  straight  and 
upright  as  those  of  the  Shorthorn,  rather  than  being  what  is  known 
as  "sickle  hocked"  and  should  stand  square  under  the  body. 

The  Coat  of  Hair. — The  coat  of  hair  should  be  ample,  yet 
not  curly  or  coarse,  and  the  smoother  it  lays  on  the  body  the  bet- 
ter; all  appearance  of  what  is  known  as  "swirls"  should  be  avoided, 
especially  if  the  animals  are  intended  for  breeding  purposes,  and 
the  boar  should  not  be  considered  if  he  has  a  "swirl."  For  the 
benefit  of  the  beginner,  I  will  explain  that  a  * '  swirl ' '  is  what  would 
be  called  in  the  human  race,  a  cowlick.  In  some  hogs  these  are  quite 
small  and  hardly  noticeable,  while  in  others  they  appear  as  large  as 
a  saucer  and  are  generally  located  near  the  loin  and  some  times  near 
the  tail  head. 

A  Crank  on  Markings. — In  selecting  brood  sows  of  any  breed, 
it  is  not  so  much  how  they  are  marked  as  it  is  whether  or  not  they 
are  good  sows  of  the  right  type,  quality  and  conformation.  Of 


SELECTING  BROOD   SOWS  31 

course  this  trouble  will  not  come  up  about  those  whose  color  is 
solid,  such  as  the  Chester  Whites,  etc.,  but  in  the  Berkshires,  Poland- 
Chinas  and  Hampshires,  one  often  meets  a  man,  who  is  more  par- 
ticular about  fancy  markings  than  he  need  be.  I  do  not  believe  that 
a  perfectly  marked  Berkshire  sow,  bred  to  a  perfectly  marked  Berk- 
shire boar,  would  ever  produce  a  litter  that  was  perfectly  marked, 
nor  do  I  believe  that  a  sow  or  boar  with  one  black  foot,  black  switch, 
or  a  white  splash  on  the  jowl  or  arm  would  ever  produce  a  litter  that 
was  all  marked  like  the  sire  or  dam.  Of  course  the  nearer  the  lit- 
ters come  to  being  perfectly  marked  the  more  we  are  pleased,  but 
we  should  look  more  to  conformation,  size  and  quality,  than  to  the 
markings. 

We  once  paid  $225  for  a  son  of  old  Longfellow  that  had  a  splash 
that  nearly  covered  his  entire  left  jowl  and  face  and  I  cannot  recall 
that  he  ever  sired  a  pig  with  the  same  marking.  This  rule  will 
apply  to  the  Poland- China  breed,  and  to  the  Hampshire  when  the 
white  belt  varies  in  width  and  shape  as  well  as  some  of  the  feet 
having  white  part  way  up  the  leg.  First  look  for  quality  and  size, 
then  let  the  markings  be  a  secondary  consideration. 

See  also,  in  selecting  your  brood  sows,  that  there  is  a  mellow- 
ness to  the  touch,  which  shows  feeding  quality.  Avoid  one  that  is 
hard  and  coarse  to  the  touch. 

In  selecting  a  herd  of  brood  sows,  it  is  my  judgment  that  the 
more  uniform  in  type,  size  and  conformation  the  sows  are,  the  bet- 
ter, and  I  would  even  go  so  far,  if  I  were  selecting  but  a  few,  to 
have  them  all  from  one  or  two  litters  if  possible,  rather  than  take 
the  risk  of  getting  such  a  great  variety  of  types  by  the  selection  of 
individuals  from  different  families,  and  I  would  have  them  from 
reasonably  large  litters. 

While  we  all  like  good-sized  litters,  I  am  not  a  crank  on  this 
subject.  I  prefer  litters  running  from  seven  to  nine  rather  than 
from  ten  to  twelve  pigs  each,  and  believe  I  could  make  more  pounds 
of  meat  and  obtain  better  growth  for  breeding  purposes,  than  I 
could  from  extremely  large  litters.  Of  course  we  occasionally  find 
a  good  sow  that  can  grow  a  litter  of  twelve  or  more,  but  the  pigs 
are  not  apt  to  be  as  thrifty  and  as  growthly  as  those  of  a  litter  of 
eight  or  nine.  It  is  better  to  have  pigs  of  a  litter  of  medium  size 
that  are  very  thrifty,  than  those  from  a  larger  litter  that  cannot 
get  enough  nourishment  to  develop  as  they  should. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

AGE,  TIME  AND  SEASON  FOB  BREEDING 

I  am  a  firm  believer  that  for  best  results  animals  should  not  be 
bred  too  young.  Many  breeders  and  farmers  make  a  great  mistake 
in  selecting  the  sows  they  wish  to  breed  from  the  spring  gilts  each 
year,  also  selecting  from  his  own  herd,  or  some  other,  a  young  boar 
from  a  spring  farrow,  rather  than  carry  over  his  older  sows  and 
keeping  a  mature  boar.  I  am  positive  that  it  is  much  better  to  use 
only  mature  animals  for  breeding  or  those  as  nearly  matured  as 
possible.  We  all  know  that  a  sow  from  two  to  five  years  old  bred  to 
a  boar  of  about  the  same  age  will  produce  stronger  pigs  with  con- 
siderably more  size  and  weight  at  birth,  than  will  a  young  gilt, 
and  yet  many  men  each  year  purchase  young  bred  gilts. 

I  think  the  average  litter  also  is  larger  in  number  from  mature 
animals.  Furthermore,  it  has  been  my  observation  that  the  farmer 
who  each  year  selects  young  gilts  and  breeds  to  a  young  boar  and 
follows  it  up  for  a  number  of  years,  gradually  reduces  by  this 
process  the  stamina  and  vitality  of  his  herd,  causing  them  to  be  in 
a  condition  to  contract  disease  much  easier  than  would  older  ani- 
mals. For  this  reason  I  would  advise  that,  for  best  results,  nothing 
be  bred  under  one  year  old,  which  would  bring  the  litter  at  about 
sixteen  months  of  age,  at  which  time  the  animals  are  well  along 
toward  maturity.  After  having  started  a  sow  to  breeding  and  it  is 
found  that  she  is  a  good  producer,  a  good  mother,  careful  of  her 
litter  and  a  good  suckler,  by  all  means  keep  that  sow  as  long  as 
she  produces  satisfactorily,  and  when  you  strike  the  best  mating, 
or  one  that  proves  highly  satisfactory,  continue  to  breed  her  to  the 
same  boar,  rather  than  take  chances  by  changing. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  do  as  we  have  done  once  or  twice,  to  keep 
a  sow  almost  up  to  the  limit  of  the  average  usefulness  of  produc- 
tion, or  you  might  get  caught  as  we  did,  by  having  quite  a  number 
of  sows,  that  had  been  valuable  breeders,  but  by  holding  too  many 
years,  all  quit  breeding  at  once.  It  is  very  hard  when  one  has  a 
sow  that  produces  very  high-class  animals  to  quit  using  her  until 
he  is  obliged  to. 

We  bred  a  sow  once  in  her  13th  year  and  she  produced  one 
pig;  of  course  she  had  been  a  valuable  sow  or  we  would  not  have 
retained  her  in  the  herd  until  that  age.  When  she  farrowed  her 
litter  of  only  one  pig  we  concluded  it  was  time  to  stop,  so  we  fat- 
tened her  and  sold  her  to  the  local  butcher.  He  remarked  as  he 
looked  her  over  that  she  was  no  spring  chicken,  and  some  weeks 
after  when  I  asked  him  how  the  old  sow  turned  out,  he  said  all  right 
in  every  way. 

Breeding  Season. — The  season  in  which  it  is  best  for  sows  to 
be  bred  depends  entirely  upon  the  part  of  the  country  in  which 

32 


AGE,  TIME  AND  SEASON  FOB  BREEDING  33 

you  are  located.  Breeders  and  farmers  residing  in  the  southern 
states  where  cold  weather  is  not  a  factor,  may  breed  at  any  time  of 
the  year,  and  this  is  a  great  advantage  over  those  of  us  who  live  in 
the  northern  or  eastern  states.  In  the  cold  weather  states,  it  is  besl 
not  to  have  pigs  farrowed  later  in  the  fall  than  September,  and  by 
no  means  later  than  the  latter  part  of  October,  for  the  reason  that 
these  pigs  will  be  farrowed  too  late  to  get  sufficient  growth  to  be 
weaned  and  fed  by  themselves  before  the  weather  becomes  too  cold 
for  best  results  in  development,  unless  one  is  especially  fitted  with 
conveniences,  such  as  warm  sleeping  houses,  etc.,  with  plenty  of 
warm  feed  to  continue  their  development  without  check. 

Nothing  looks  so  bad  as  a  little  pig  in  the  winter  time  doubled 
up  with  cold  and  its  hair  pointing  to  its  ears,  but  where  the  pigs 
can  be  properly  taken  care  of  and  continue  to  grow  and  look  smooth 
and  thrifty,  then  it  is  a  different  matter  and  they  are  fully  as  valu- 
able as  the  pigs  farrowed  in  the  spring,  because  they  come  to  the 
proper  breeding  age  the  fall  following  their  birth,  and  there  is 
nothing  more  desirable  or  that  sells  better  than  fall  litters  that  can 
be  bred  a  year  from  birth. 

With  the  spring  litters  the  northern  and  eastern  breeder  must 
also  be  a  little  careful.  It  is  all  right  in  this  section  to  have  a  few 
pigs  farrowed  in  February,  but  that  is  not  generally  best.  There 
are  men  who  probably  would  like  to  buy  February  pigs,  as  they 
have  a  little  more  size  when  the  fall  breeding  season  commences, 
than  those  farrowed  later,  but  they  require  much  more  attention 
to  bring  them  to  weaning  time  than  would  the  litters  farrowed  in 
March  and  April;  besides  none  of  the  February  pigs  could  be 
shown  the  following  fall  in  the  under  six  months  class.  This  in  a 
measure  militates  against  their  being  sold  to  breeders,  but  would 
be  all  right  where  sold  to  farmers  for  breeding  purposes  without 
considering  the  matter  of  showing.  However,  this  is  a  matter  that 
is  up  to  each  farmer  or  breeder,  as  he  sees  it  from  his  own  viewpoint. 

Use  of  Breeding  Crates. — There  is  considerable  difference  of 
opinion  regarding  the  use  of  breeding  crates,  but  I  have  long  con- 
sidered them  a  necessity,  although  we  do  not  use  them  in  every 
instance.  Where  there  is  much  difference  in  size  of  the  animals  the 
crate  should  be  used;  on  the  other  hand  where  the  size  is  nearly 
equal,  perhaps  just  as  good  or  better  results  can  be  had  without  the 
use  of  the  crate,  yet  every  well  regulated  establishment  should  have 
one  or  more  reliable  breeding  crates.  Some  claim  that  using  a  crate 
is  against  nature,  which  may  be  true.  I  believe,  however,  when  the 
crate  is  to  be  used,  the  animals  to  be  bred  should  be  turned  together 
for  a  short  time  for  the  purpose  of  getting  acquainted,  and  the 
teasing  is  no  doubt  a  great  benefit,  but  the  practice  of  forcing  a  sow 
into  a  breeding  crate,  then  bringing  the  boar  to  her,  without  any 
teasing,  does  not  always  work  out  as  expected  and  sometimes  creates 
much  trouble.  When  everything  is  all  right,  a  crate  is  quite  satis- 
factory. Any  crate  used  for  this  purpose  should  be  adjustable  both 
in  length  and  width.  If  sows  can  be  bred  without  a  crate,  it  is 
better,  as  a  general  thing. 


CPIAPTBR  IX 


FARROWING  TIME 

It  is* presumed  that  all  breeders  of  pure-bred  stock  keep  a  record 
of  the  date  sows  are  due  to  farrow.  If  this  is  not  the  case  trouble 
is  sometimes  the  result.  As  farrowing  time  approaches  no  unusu- 
ally special  care  need  be  given  to  the  brood  sow  if  she  has  been  fed 
along  lines  laid  down  in  this  book,  and  if  she  has  had  sufficient 
exercise  during  the  gestation  period.  It  is  only  necessary  that  she 
be  placed  in  a  quiet,  warm,  dry  place  in  winter  and  cool  in  summer, 
a  week  or  two  previous  to  the  date  of  farrow.  This  should  be  done 
so  that  she  may  become  accustomed  to  the  new  surroundings. 

As  the  time  approaches  for  the  coming  of  the  litter,  see  that 
the  sow  gets  out  of  her  sleeping  place  daily  and  takes  plenty  of 
exercise,  otherwise  she  will  become  more  or  less  constipated.  If 
such  is  the  case,  two  ounces  of  Epsom  Salts  should  be  given  her  in 
the  slop  daily  until  her  bowels  are  in  a  laxative  condition.  See  that 
the  place  where  she  is  to  farrow  is  provided  with  a  guard  rail 
around  at  least  three  sides  of  the  pen,  to  protect  the  young  litter 
being  overlaid  by  the  sow  and  crushed. 

If  everything  is  going  right  with  the  sow  at  farrowing  time,  let 
her  alone.  If  one  finds  that  after  several  hours  of  labor,  there  are 
no  pigs  in  sight,  it  is  well  enough  to  investigate.  Often  by  oiling  the 
hand  and  entering  a  few  inches,  one  will  find  either  the  leg  of  the 
pig  or  its  head  can  be  reached,  when  a  slight  pull  results  in  an 
immediate  delivery. 

If  the  sow  is  unduly  fleshy  and  seems  closely  built,  it  is  a  very 
good  plan,  when  she  is  ready  to  farrow,  to  inject  a  little  oil — either 
sweet  oil,  cotton  seed  oil,  or  any  that  is  clean  and  pure — that  the 
passage  may  be  made  easy. 

During  nearly  forty  years  of  breeding,  we  have  only  had  to 
resort  to  pig  forceps  once  or  twice,  and  then  generally  without  good 
results. 

Cold  Weather  Precautions. — If  the  weather  is  cold  when  the 
young  pigs  are  just  farrowed,  we  have  made  it  a  practice  to  have 
close  at  hand  a  barrel  or  box  with  either  a  hot  brick  or  two  or  a 
stone  heated  and  laid  in  the  box  and  covered  thickly  and  deeply 
with  chaff  or  cut  straw,  and  as  fast  as  the  youngsters  appear  we 
wipe  them  off  with  a  cloth  and  place  them  in  this  box,  where  it  is 
warm,  covering  the  same  with  a  blanket,  and  wait  for  the  next 
one's  appearance,  keeping  this  up  until  the  entire  litter  is  farrowed, 
if  not  continuing  over  too  long  a  period.  If  several  hours'  time  is 
occupied  in  farrowing  the  litter,  we  let  those  that  have  appeared 
nurse  once  or  twice  during  the  time,  placing  them  back  in  the  box 

34 


FARROWING  TIME  35 

as  soon  as  they  have  nursed  sufficiently,  and  when  the  whole  litter 
is  farrowed,  we  place  them  all  with  the  mother,  and  if  everything 
goes  right  and  the  mother  is  quiet,  leave  them  there.  If,  however, 
she  is  ugly  and  inclined  to  get  up  and  turn  around  and  act  badly, 
we  place  the  pigs  back  in  the  box  to  keep  them  warm,  and  wait  a 
short  time  until  she  is  again  settled.  But  generally,  after  the  sow 
permits  the  litter  to  nurse  once  without  undue  restlessness,  she  will 
be  quiet  with  them. 

We  have  used  a  farrowing  box  for  many  years,  and  consider  it 
one  of  the  best  appliances  in  the  equipment  of  a  farrowing  house, 
for  while  the  sow  can  easily  lie  down  on  either  her  right  or  left 
side,  she  cannot  turn  around  or  lie  down  on  the  pigs,  as  they  are 
protected  by  the  sides  of  the  farrowing  box  which  do  not  extend 
clear  to  the  floor,  but  have  a  space  of  some  nine  inches  in  which 
the  youngsters  can  run  out  into  the  outer  part  of  the  box  at 
either  side  or  end.  "We  found  in  the  last  Spring  farrowing  of  over 
two  hundred  pigs,  that  only  three  were  injured  in  the  farrowing 
box.  In  a  large  herd  three  or  four  of  these  boxes  would  be  one  of 
the  best  investments  that  could  be  made. 

After  the  pigs  are  two  or  three  days  old,  they,  with  the  sow, 
can  be  removed  to  an  individual  house  or  pen,  without  much  danger 
of  their  being  overlaid  by  the  sow,  unless  she  is  deaf,  which  is  some- 
times the  case,  but  such  a  sow  should  be  sold  for  pork  and  not  kept 
in  the  breeding  herd. 

Occasionally  one  finds  a  sow  that  is  very  nervous  after  farrow- 
ing. She  will  get  up  and  lie  down  again  frequently,  and  may  crush 
one  or  more  of  the  newly  farrowed  pigs.  It  is  well  to  give  such  a 
sow  a  small  feed,  mostly  of  bran  with  a  little  middlings  or  cornmeal, 
as  this  will  often  quiet  her.  If  she  is  extremely  nervous  and  insists 
on  getting  up  and  down,  pour  one  teaspoonful  of  laudanum  into 
her  ear. 

Keep  Breeding  Dates. — Every  breeder  and  even  every  farmer 
and  grower  of  hogs  for  market  should  keep  correct  dates  when  his 
sows  were  bred  and  should  put  down  the  date  to  retry  them,  mak- 
ing it  from  twenty  to  twenty-two  or  twenty-three  days  from  the 
date  bred,  and  should  not  neglect  when  this  time  comes,  to  try  them 
again  and  see  if  they  are  settled  or  if  they  will  have  to  be  rebred. 
This  should  be  carried  on  at  least  to  the  third  period  after  first 
breeding,  so  that  he  would  absolutely  know  that  his  sows  are  safe 
in  pig,  and  if  they  are  to  be  used  to  fill  orders  for  bred  sows,  he 
should  still  keep  tab  on  them  and  not  ship  them  out  until  they  show 
their  own  guarantee  that  they  are  safe  in  pig.  It  is  a  very  dis- 
tressing thing,  both  for  the  purchaser  and  seller,  to  find  after  ship- 
ment, that  the  sow  shipped  had  failed  to  prove  in  pig.  Better  wait 
a  little  longer  before  shipping  and  know  that  the  animal  is  abso- 
lutely safe  in  pig. 


CHAPTEB  X 
CAEE  OF  THE  BROOD  SOW 

To  have  brood  sows  in  prime  condition  at  the  beginning  of  the 
breeding  season,  in  the  Fall,  it  is  well  to  have  them  come  off  from 
good  fresh  grass  or  pasture  of  some  kind,  having  for  a  short  time 
been  fed  grain  and  being  in  a  slightly  gaining  condition.  This 
usually  brings  them  in  season  very  shortly,  and  generally  where 
there  are  many,  all  will  come  in  season  about  the  same  time.  This 
is  well,  as  it  enables  a  large  number  to  be  bred  as  near  the  same 
time  as  possible,  and  the  litters  to  arrive  about  the  same  time  in 
the  Spring,  thereby  giving  one  a  large  number  of  youngsters  of 
practically  the  same  age. 

During  the  time  these  sows  are  being  bred  and  carrying  their 
litters  they  should  be  fed  absolutely  right  for  best  results.  First 
and  all  the  time  they  should  have  plenty  of  exercise — the  more  the 
better.  If  they  could  run  about  the  pastures  and  fields  during  the 
daytime,  between  the  feeding  periods,  it  would  be  well,  and  they 
should  sleep  some  distance  from  where  they  are  fed. 

Her  Feed. — The  feed  should  be  composed  of  a  variety  and 
should  be  as  nearly  a  balanced  ration  as  possible,  containing  the 
proper  amounts  of  both  fat  and  bone-making  material,  and  never 
solely  an  all-corn  ration.  Of  course  corn  is  the  cheapest  feed  one 
can  use  in  the  cornbelt,  especially  if  he  grows  it  on  his  own  farm, 
and  if  this  must  be  used  for  the  sake  of  economy,  it  can  be  to  the 
amount  of  about  three-fourths  of  the  ration,  with  the  other  fourth 
composed  of  feeds  containing  a  high  percentage  of  protein.  Tankage 
fed  in  the  proportion  of  one-tenth  to  nine-tenths  corn,  makes  prac- 
tically a  balanced  ration.  Hogs  on  alfalfa  or  green  feed,  need  less 
tankage.  For  convenience  it  would  be  better  to  grind  the  corn  and 
mix  the  tankage  with  the  meal,  which  can  be  fed  dry  or  soaked 
and  fed  as  a  slop. 

"With  this  ration  a  feed  of  the  third  cutting  of  alfalfa  hay,  which 
is  always  bright  and  green,  would  be  an  excellent  addition,  giving 
both  bulk  and  green  feed  for  the  sows. 

A  mixture  of  one  part  shelled  corn,  one  part  oats,  and  two  parts 
finely  cut  alfalfa  hay  put  through  a  cutting  box,  makes  a  nicely 
balanced  ration,  with  the  addition  of  five  per  cent,  tankage,  or  where 
skim  milk  is  plentiful,  use  it  instead  of  tankage,  in  the  proportion 
of  three  pounds  of  skim  milk  to  one  of  grain. 

Another  good  ration  is  equal  parts  of  rye  and  barley  ground 
fine  and  mixed  with  twenty-five  per  cent  white  middlings  or  shorts 
— on  account  of  price  of  middlings,  although  middlings  are  very 
good — adding  about  five  per  cent,  oil  meal  or  tankage.  This  makes 
almost  an  ideal  ration. 

36 


CARE  OF  THE  BROOD   SOW  87 

A  small  per  cent,  in  weight  of  a  good  quality  bran  added  to  any 
of  the  above  makes  a  valuable  addition. 

Plenty  of  Water. — One  thing  must  not  be  overlooked,  and 
that  is  plenty  of  clean  fresh  water.  If  it  can  be  had  at  will,  so 
much  the  better;  if  it  cannot,  it  should  at  least  be  given  once  or 
twice  daily,  for  the  hog  needs  a  drink  of  water  as  much  as  any 
other  animal  or  human  being.  I  have  known  pigs  to  walk  directly 
from  a  wet  feed  of  nice  rich  slop  to  a  drinking  fountain  and  take  a 
good  drink  of  water,  as  though  they  had  been  fed  on  dry  feed.  I 
really  think  that  the  majority  of  breeders  and  farmers  overlook 
this  matter  of  letting  the  hogs  have  plenty  of  water  to  drink. 

Further,  the  brood  sows  during  the  season  should,  if  possible, 
have  some  kind  of  green  feed  or  pasture.  Of  course  in  parts  of  the 
country  where  there  is  heavy  snow,  something  must  be  fed  to  take 
the  place  of  pasture.  There  is  nothing  equal  to  the  third  or  fourth 
cutting  of  alfalfa  for  this  purpose.  This,  if  cured  without  being 
damaged  by  rains,  is  practically  as  green  as  it  would  be  in  June, 
and  is  greatly  relished.  It  can  be  fed  in  racks,  properly  made, 
and  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  book,  or  it  may  be  run  through  a 
power  cutter  and  chaffed  and  fed  with  a  portion  of  the  grain  ration, 
as  above  recommended.  A  mixture  of  salt,  charcoal,  wood  ashes 
and  ground  limestone  or  slacked  lime  is  absolutely  necessary,  and 
if  convenient  add  also  a  portion  of  ground  phosphate  rock.  This 
mixture  adds  much  in  the  way  of  mineral  matter  that  is  so  neces- 
sary in  building  up  the  bone  and  frame  of  the  unborn  litter. 

Brood  sows  should  have  a  dry  warm  place  to  sleep,  and  but  few 
in  number — not  over  ten  or  twelve — should  run  together  or  sleep 
in  one  compartment.  This  is  to  avoid  their  crowding  or  piling  up 
too  closely. 

The  future  of  the  pig  depends  much,  in  fact  more  than  is  usually 
realized,  on  what  the  dam  receives  in  feed  and  care  before  the  birth 
of  the  litter.  "A  litter  well  born  is  half  raised,"  and  there  should 
be  no  immediate  change  in  the  feeding  formula  for  the  sow  having 
just  farrowed  a  litter  of  pigs  from  what  she  has  been  having  dur- 
ing the  period  of  gestation,  only  after  farrowing  the  sow  should  go 
at  least  twenty-four  hours  without  feed,  with  what  water  she  will 
drink,  which  in  cold  weather  should  be  given  her  with  the  chill 
taken  off;  then,'  a  very  light  portion  of  the  same  feed  she  has  been 
having.  If  she  has  been  fed  a  dry  feed,  it  would  be  well  to  use  the 
same  proportion  in  the  mixture,  only  feed  it  as  a  slop,  with  warm 
water  during  the  winter  in  a  cold  climate,  and  cold  water  if  in  the 
southern  states. 

This  feed  should  be  gradually  increased  as  the  litter  is  able  to 
take  all  the  milk  furnished  by  the  mother.  Usually  at  the  end  of 
one  week,  if  the  litter  is  an  average  sized  one,  the  sow  can  be  fed 
all  she  will  eat  up  clean. 

By  the  time  the  pigs  are  three  weeks  old  they  will  eat  a  little  on 
the  side  from  the  trough  with  their  mother,  and  if  it  is  desired  to 
push  them  to  the  limit  in  growth,  a  small  feeding  space  can  be 


38  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

arranged  so  they  may  feed  from  a  very  low,  shallow  trough  by  them- 
selves, unmolested  by  the  mother,  giving  them  the  same  feed  given 
the  mother. 

During  this  period  of  the  early  life  of  the  litter  the  sow  and 
litter  should  take  plenty  of  exercise  for  the  necessary  good  of  the 
pigs,  for  they  must  exercise  considerably  during  each  day,  or  they 
will  become  fat  around  the  heart  and  die  with  what  is  known  as 
"Thumps,"  which  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  fatty  degeneration 
of  the  heart,  which  they  will  certainly  have  unless  they  are  exercised 
daily  in  some  way. 

Weaning  Pigs. — As  weaning  time  approaches,  which  should 
not  be  earlier  than  ten  to  twelve  weeks,  in  my  opinion,  the  feed 
may  be  lessened  for  the  sow  and  more  given  the  litter,  so  that  the 
sow  would  gradually  give  less  milk  and  have  no  trouble  when  the 
pigs  are  taken  entirely  away.  Some  breeders  have  made  it  a  prac- 
tice to  gradually  wean  the  litter  by  taking  them  away  for  a  few 
hours  and  then  returning  them  to  the  mother  and  following  this 
up  for  a  few  days  until  they  are  taken  away  entirely.  Others  have 
practiced  taking  one  or  more  of  the  most  thrifty  pigs  in  the  litter 
away  from  the  mother  first,  then  after  a  few  days  a  few  others,  and 
finally  taking  those  remaining,  believing  that  pigs  so  weaned  would 
leave  the  sow  in  better  condition  and  less  danger  of  swelling  and 
soreness  of  the  udder.  We  never  have  practiced  this,  however,  dur- 
ing our  forty  years  of  breeding.  By  letting  the  litter  suckle  until 
it  is  ten  to  twelve  weeks  old  or  a  little  over,  the  sow  naturally  is 
inclined  to  wean  them  herself  and  if  she  has  been  properly  fed  the 
last  part  of  this  period  she  will  practically  give  no  milk  at  the  end 
of  three  months  or  thereabouts. 

When  the  litter  is  finally  weaned  the  sow  should  be  given  a  good 
fresh  pasture  of  some  kind  with  a  little  grain  and  she  will  need 
very  little  else  during  the  next  month  or  two  or  until  time  to  begin 
to  bring  her  in  condition  for  another  season's  breeding. 

We  pastured  40  brood  sows  that  had  weaned  their  pigs  in  May, 
by  turning  them  directly  into  a  fresh  white  clover  and  blue  grass 
pasture  where  there  was  plenty  of  shade.  They  had  no  grain  or 
slop  for  four  months,  but  were  given  daily  from  a  water  fountain 
all  the  fresh  clean  water  they  could  drink.  They  did  well  on  this 
grass  and  water  diet,  but  hereafter  we  will  feed  two  or  three  ears  of 
corn  daily  to  each  sow,  besides  the  grass  and  water,  as  I  believe  for 
best  results  they  should  have  a  little  grain.  The  sows  that  were 
bred  for  fall  litters  ran  in  the  pasture  with  the  others  and  were 
removed  into  individual  lots  about  a  month  before  farrowing  where 
they  were  given  a  little  corn  and  some  slop  with  plenty  of  grass. 

To  have  two  litters  a  year  sows  must  wean  their  spring  litters  by 
May  1,  so  as  to  be  bred  for  early  fall  farrow,  and  the  fall  litters 
must  be  weaned  in  November  or  early  December  so  as  to  be  bred 
for  March  and  April  farrow.  In  the  north  it  is  not  always  prac- 
tical to  have  two  litters  a  year  and  we  find  it  often  advisable  to  breed 
the  sows  so  that  they  will  farrow  one  litter  the  first  year  and  two 
litters  the  next  year,  or  in  other  words,  three  litters  in  two  years. 


CHAPTER  XI 
MARKING 

The  matter  of  having  each  litter  marked  so  that  pigs  may  be 
identified  at  any  time,  is  one  that  every  breeder  of  pure-breds  at 
least  should  follow  without  fail.  There  is  nothing  that  would  be 
more  embarrassing  than  to  have  a  prospective  buyer,  when  looking 
over  the  pigs  ask  how  we  identify  them  and  be  unable  to  answer 
satisfactorily.  After  trying  all  kinds  and  varieties  of  ear  labels 
we  settled  many  years  ago  on  the  only  system  that  we  have  found 
entirely  reliable,  and  one  that  never  fails  to  remain  where  it  is  put. 
This  system  is  a  series  of  small  punch  marks  in  the  outer  and  inner 
rims  of  the  two  ears,  and  is  fully  illustrated  herein. 

One  thing  is  quite  important,  namely,  that  a  small  punch  be 
used,  one  not  larger  than  the  largest  size  in  a  revolving  harness 
punch.  The  punch  should  be  set  on  the  rim  of  the  ear,  only  cutting 
out  a  half  circle.  If  too  large  a  punch  is  used  the  marks  become 
too  prominent  as  the  pig  grows  to  maturity. 

A  small  vest  pocket  memorandum  book  should  always  be  carried, 
using  one  leaf  for  each  sow  and  her  litter,  with  the  stamp,  as 
shown  in  the  illustrated  system  of  marking,  showing  the  same  ear 
marks  as  are  given  to  the  pig.  In  this  way  as  one  goes  through  the 
herd  and  asks  for  the  breeding  of  different  pigs,  it  can  very  readily 
be  given,  by  referring  to  the  small  memorandum  book.  To  illus- 
trate :  Suppose  a  prospective  buyer  selected  a  pig  and  said  to  me, 
' '  this  pig  has  two  marks  in  the  right  ear  outer  rim  and  one  in  the 
left  outer  rim.  What  are  his  sire  and  dam  and  date  of  farrow." 
By  referring  to  the  book  showing  this  mark  I  will  find  it  is  the  fifth 
litter  farrowed  during  the  year  and  shows  that  the  sire  was  Rival's 
Majesty  150500  and  the  dam  Locksley's  Artful  Belle  178745,  and 
that  it  was  farrowed  March  13,  1918.  This  is  all  in  a  nut  shell  and 
very  satisfactory  to  the  one  asking  for  the  information. 

In  this  system  we  use  the  same  mark  for  each  pig  in  the  litter, 
as  the  pig  is  not  named  or  registered  until  sold,  then  a  name  is  given 
and  a  registry  number  which  is  entered  on  the  card  record  of  that 
particular  litter.  If  a  sow  in  this  litter  or  a  boar  is  retained  in  the 
herd  the  card  record  should  show  it  and  ear  mark  as  well.  This 
system  is  started  anew  the  1st  of  January  each  year,  as  the  previous 
year's  litters  are  supposed  to  be  sold,  but  for  the  few  that  are  not, 
or  are  intended  to  be  retained  in  the  herd,  a  memorandum  is  made. 

Record  of  Litters. — We  have  found  the  following  card  system 
for  keeping  a  record  of  the  litters,  as  well  as  disposition  of  each,  to 
be  the  most  convenient  of  anything  we  have  ever  tried.  The  cards 
should  be  5x8  in.  as  illustrated.  On  one  side  should  be  written  the 
pedigree  of  the  dam,  her  description,  showing  the  ear  marks  she 

39 


40  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 


PLATE  VIII.     Ear  Marking  Chart 


MARKING  41 

carries,  and  the  date  she  was  farrowed.  The  opposite  side,  as  illus- 
trated should  show  the  sire  and  dam  of  the  litter  giving  their  herd 
book  numbers,  and  cut  of  the  pigs  head  should  show  how  the  litter 
was  marked.  You  will  note  that  this  side  of  the  card  is  ruled  for 
the  purpose  of  entering  on  same  the  disposition  of  the  pigs  of  the 
litter ;  the  pigs  that  were  sold  as  breeders  as  well  as  those  for  pork 
should  all  be  entered  on  this  side,  showing  to  whom  sold  and  price ; 
and  where  a  portion  of  the  litter  was  sold  for  pork,  or  butchered  for 
family  use,  they  should  also  be  entered.  Those  sold  for  breeders 
should  have  their  name  and  herd  book  numbers  in  proper  column 
as  shown.  We  give  one  of  these  cards  to  the  litter  of  each  sow.  If 
she  has  two  litters  in  one  calendar  year  she  has  two  cards  to  show 
what  her  litters  were  in  number  and  what  disposition  was  made  of 
them.  It  would  surprise  many  persons  to  see  the  footings  of  the 
sales  from  a  registered  sow  seven  or  eight  years  of  age,  that  has 
been  a  good  producer  once  or  twice  each  year.  These  cards  should 
be  kept  in  a  small  cabinet  drawer  and  each  one  numbered  with  the 
number  given  to  the  sow,  so  that  all  cards  for  that  sow  may  be  of 
the  same  number  and  in  the  same  pocket.  It  takes  but  a  moment's 
time  where  this  system  is  followed  to  open  the  drawer  of  the  cabinet, 
take  all  the  cards  belonging  to  a  certain  sow  and  add  up  what  her 
produce  has  brought  you.  I  had  occasion  a  short  time  since  to 
look  over  the  cards  of  an  old  sow  who  was  beginning  to  get  along 
in  years,  and  added  up  what  we  had  received  for  her  direct  produce 
since  she  was  old  enough  to  breed,  and  found  we  had  sold  from 
this  individual  sow  over  $3,500.00  worth  of  pigs,  and  none  of  them 
at  an  extravagant  price.  It  is  much  more  convenient  than  having 
to  use  a  herd  record,  as  the  cards  are  all  in  one  bunch  and  quickly 
viewed.  We  have  had  many  letters  in  the  last  few  years  asking  us 
to  send  a  blank  card  showing  this  system,  and  all  inquirers,  so  far 
as  I  have  heard,  have  put  the  system  in  practice  and  are  well  satis- 
fied with  it.  A  breeder  cannot  be  too  careful  in  keeping  absolutely 
correct  records  of  dates  of  farrows  and  of  pigs  sold. 


FORTY  YEARS'  EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 


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PLATE  IX.     Farrowing  Record  Card,  Showing  Pedigree  of  Dam 


MARKING 


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PLATE  X.     Farrowing   Record   Card,    Showing   Record   of  Litter 


CHAPTER  XII 

CARE  OF  PIGS 

Three  Months  After  Weaning. — Weaning  time  is  a  very  criti- 
cal period  in  the  life  of  the  pig.  We  will  suppose  that  the  pig  has 
been  fed  in  addition  to  what  he  received  from  the  mother,  so  that 
he  is  well  started,  and,  without  changing  the  rations  he  has  had, 
he  should  be  fed  at  least  twice  daily  all  that  he  will  eat  up  clean. 
It  is  a  bad  custom  to  feed  any  animal  more  than  it  will  eat  and 
clean  up  thoroughly.  The  pig  should  have,  in  addition  to  what 
it  is  fed  in  concentrated  ration,  at  all  times  of  the  year,  the  run  of 
a  good  fresh  pasture  of  green  feed.  The  different  varieties  are 
treated  in  another  chapter. 

Probably  the  most  economical  ration  for  pigs  for  the  first  three 
months  after  weaning  is  a  mixture  of  home-grown  grains,  prefer- 
ably ground  into  a  fine  meal  and  properly  balanced.  If  one  is  grow- 
ing his  own  grains  for  hog  feed,  a  good  ration  is  a  mixture  of  corn 
and  oats  very  finely  ground.  I  do  not  mean  broken  up  with  a  cheap 
steel  grinder,  but  ground  into  a  fine  meal,  and  if  it  could  be  sifted, 
so  much  the  better.  Oat  husks  are  not  a  very  desirable  adjunct 
in  the  mixture,  but  will  not  injure  the  pigs  after  a  few  months  old, 
but  during  the  first  few  weeks  of  their  lives  the  husks  prove  more  or 
less  irritating  in  the  intestines.  This  mixture  would  be  improved 
by  an  addition  of  ten  per  cent,  tankage  of  not  less  than  sixty 
per  cent,  protein,  unless  one  has  enough  skim  milk  with  which  to 
mix  the  ration  into  a  slop  as  thick  as  can  be  poured.  There  is 
nothing  better  for  growing  pigs  than  skim  milk  properly  balanced 
with  three  pounds  of  milk  to  one  pound  of  ground  carbonaceous 
grain.  More  than  this  amount  of  milk  per  pound  of  grain  should 
not  be  used.  Where  there  is  no  milk,  tankage  will  practically  take 
its  place  in  balancing  the  ration. 

All  the  feed  should  be  fed  while  sweet.  When  the  weather  is 
not  too  hot  it  would  be  better  to  mix  it  ten  or  twelve  hours  before 
feeding,  or  so  that  it  would  soak  after  morning  feeding  time  until 
the  evening  feed,  and  vice  versa.  If  it  is  desired  to  feed  three 
times  a  day,  the  noon  feed  could  well  be  made  up  of  shelled  corn 
soaked  at  least  twenty-four  hours,  or  until  the  kernels  become 
softened.  Remember  always  to  use  the  liquid  or  water  from  the 
soaked  corn  to  help  in  mixing  the  slop  feed,  as  there  is  a  large 
amount  of  nutriment  in  water  from  soaked  corn.  It  has  been  said 
that  "it  is  to  a  pig  what  beer  is  to  a  Dutchman."  Some  feeders 
use  ear  corn  for  soaking,  but  I  have  never  liked  to  feed  wet  ears  of 
corn,  much  preferring  to  shell  it  and  soak  as  above.  Above  all, 
feed  only  clean  corn. 

Here  let  me  mention  again  the  matter  of  clean,  fresh  water 
never  being  neglected. 


CARE   OF  PIGS 


Sanitary  Precautions. — In  addition  to  the  feeding  and  water- 
ing, there  are  other  little  attentions  that  must  not  be  overlooked. 
The  pigs  should,  if  possible,  have  a  shallow  cement  pool  that  could 
be  used  as  a  wallow,  and  jt  should  be  so  made  that  the  water  can 


PLATE  XI.     A  Convenient  and  Sanitary  Hog  Wallow 

be  changed  every  day  or  two.  By  having  this  kind  of  a  wallow, 
and  adding  a  good  disinfectant  and  a  little  crude  oil  poured  on  the 
water,  the  skin  of  the  pigs  will  be  kept  in  perfect  condition,  without 
any  danger  of  skin  disease  or  eruption. 

Where  one  is  not  prepared  to  place  these  clear  water  pools  or 
wallows,  he  should  have  a  dipping  tank.  A  dipping  tank  certainly 
gets  the  dip  and  oil  on  every  part  of  the  body,  for  the  animals  have 
to  plunge  or  slide  down  the  chute  into  the  dipping  tank,  which 
thoroughly  immerses  them. 

One  great  trouble  is  that  the  pigs  are  not  run  through  the  dip 
as  often  as  they  should  be.  Once  every  week  in  warm  weather  is 
none  too  often  if  there  are  any  lice  or  indications  of  skin  trouble. 
After  they  once  become  entirely  free  from  all  such  troubles,  once 
every  two  to  four  weeks  will  do. 

If,  however,  there  are  lice  on  the  pigs,  a  good  quality  of  crude 
oil  should  be  added  to  the  dip,  and  the  sleeping  quarters  carefully 
looked  after.  It  would  be  useless  to  dip  a  drove  of  lousy  pigs  and 
allow  them  to  return  to  an  infected  sleeping  place.  The  sleeping 
quarters  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  out  and  the  ground  or  floor 
thoroughly  wet  with  the  dip.  This  would  be  beneficial  in  several 
ways ;  if  the  ground  was  used  instead  of  a  floor,  it  would  be  damp- 
ened by  the  dip  and  oil.  The  oil  would  certainly  be  a  great  help 
here  as  well  as  in  the  dip,  as  it  would  keep  down  the  dust.  After 
the  sleeping  place  has  been  oiled  once  or  twice,  there  would  be  no 
danger  of  an  accumulation  of  dust  during  the  season.  If  the  ground 
is  treated  in  this  way,  there  will  be  no  need  of  bedding  during  the 
summer  months,  or  until  the  weather  becomes  cold  and  bedding  is 
needed  for  warmth. 

We  have  noticed  in  caring  for  pigs,  that  it  is  often  the  case  that 
the  feed  used  lacks  in  mineral  matter,  and  we  have  therefore  found 
it  a  great  help  to  keep  a  mixture  of  mineral  matter  in  troughs  or 
boxes  where  the  pigs  and  hogs  can  go  to  it  at  will,  and  it  is  surpris- 
ing how  much  will  be  eaten  by  them.  The  mixture  we  generally  use 


46  FORTY   YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF    A   PRACTICAL  HOG   MAN 

is  composed  of  ground  rock  phosphate  which  we  buy  for  use  on  our 
land,  and  to  this  we  add  finely  ground  limestone ;  to  give  it  a  flavor 
and  a  relish,  also  mix  in  some  salt,  and  often  add  to  this  slacked 
lime,  thoroughly  mixed;  these  ingredients  form  a  very  desirable 
mineral  feeding  preparation. 

In  carrying  the  pigs  along  from  weaning  time  to  maturity,  too 
many  should  not  be  allowed  to  herd  together — especially  is  this 
true  if  they  are  of  various  sizes  and  ages.  Where  they  must  run 
together  in  large  numbers  and  various  sizes,  there  should  be  a  sep- 
arate feeding  place  with  a  graduated  creep  where  small  pigs  can 
pass  through  and  eat  by  themselves,  unmolested  by  the  larger  ones. 
There  is  no  surer  way  of  getting  a  bunch  of  runts  on  the  farm 
than  by  allowing  all  sizes  to  eat  in  the  same  feeding  yard. 

A  creep  of  from  12  to  16  feet  long  can  be  made  between  panels 
of  a  fence  dividing  the  feed  yard  where  large  numbers  are  fed. 
These  spaces  should  be  made  of  rollers  with  a  piece  of  iron  in  each 
end  standing  upright  and  set  into  a  two  by  six  or  other  size  timber 
just  wide  enough  apart,  so  that  smaller  pigs  can  pass  through  with- 
out injury. 

Pigs  carried  along  in  this  way  and  fed  and  attended  to  in  the 
above  manner  should  make  rapid  growth  and  development,  and  if 
desired  to  be  kept  for  breeders,  this  same  treatment  can  be  carried 
on  during  the  first  year.  If  it  is  planned  to  put  them  on  an  early 
market,  and  at  a  weight  of  from  200  to  250  pounds,  the  ration  can 
be  somewhat  changed  for  the  last  sixty  days  by  using  more  corn 
and  a  little  less  of  the  other  kinds  of  feed. 

Probably  better  weights  can  be  made  and  much  more  econom- 
ically with  ninety  per  cent,  corn  and  ten  per  cent,  tankage.  This 
ration,  by  actual  use,  put  a  car  of  hogs  on  the  market  that  topped 
the  market,  and  showed  by  records  to  have  been  made  at  a  less 
cost  than  those  that  were  fed  corn  alone.  It  is  a  well-known 
fact  that  the  first  one  hundred  pounds  of  growth  of  any  hog  is 
made  at  a  much  less  expense  than  any  other  subsequent  one 
hundred  pounds.  So  it  is  economy  to  feed  all  the  good  feed  that 
can  be  properly  digested  from  birth  to  maturity. 

There  are  feeders,  and  always  have  been,  and  probably  always 
will  be,  who  pay  little  attention  to  their  pigs  during  the  growing 
period  of  the  first  six  months,  believing  that  if  they  are  turned 
out  into  any  old  pasture  and  can  get  water  to  drink,  that  they 
can  grow  a  frame  and  some  size  at  little  or  no  cost.  This  may 
do  for  the  careless  farmer,  who  does  not  wish  to  give  any  time  to 
his  crop  of  pigs,  expecting  to  do  it  all  after  they  have  lived  long 
enough  to  develop  some  frame,  which  is  in  some  way  to  be  covered 
up  and  rounded  out  with  an  all-corn  ration  thrown  out  to  them  in 
any  kind  of  a  yard,  in  any  season,  expecting  them  to  make  pork  at 
small  expense  and  little  time  given  to  their  care.  This  may  be  sat- 
isfactory to  that  class  of  men,  but  it  has  always  been  our  plan  and 
belief  that  the  mother's  milk  fat  of  the  little  pig  should  never  be 
lost,  but  be  increased  by  liberal  and  proper  rations  during  its 
entire  life. 


OARE  OF  PIGS  47 

After  Six  Months  Until  Marketing. — After  the  pigs  have  come 
to  about  the  age  of  six  months,  there  should  not  be  much  change 
in  the  feed  from  what  they  have  had  since  weaning  time ;  however 
it  is  well  at  this  time  to  increase  the  corn  or  the  fat  producing 
element  in  their  feed,  and  reduce  somewhat  the  other  elements. 
Probably  at  this  time  there  is  nothing  better  than  a  rape  pasture 
with  what  corn  the  pigs  would  clean  up  each  day,  with  the  addition 
of  about  10%  in  weight  of  corn  in  good  meat  meal  or  tankage. 
This  will  bring  them  on  to  a  finish  and  put  two  curls  in  their 
tails.  This  for  spring  pigs  in  preparation  for  early  marketing 
in  the  fall  or  for  shipping  out  as  breeders.  The  grain  ration  of 
course  may  be  varied,  using  ground  corn  meal  with  10%  tankage, 
or  by  using  ground  barley  or  wheat  or  rye  with  corn  meal.  Any 
mixture  of  fattening  grains  balanced  with  a  little  tankage  where 
skim  milk  cannot  be  had  is  all  that  is  necessary  with  good  pasture 
to  make  rapid  gain. 

Weight  for  Age. — This  is  a  very  difficult  subject,  as  there  is 
no  iron  clad  rule  for  pigs  of  certain  ages.  A  litter  of  pigs  from 
a  sow  that  was  a  poor  milker  would  not  grow  out  at  weaning 
time  nearly  as  heavy  as  a  litter  the  same  age  from  a  sow  that  was 
a  good  milker.  Neither  would  either  litter  make  as  many  pounds 
per  age  in  the  hands  of  a  poor  feeder  as  in  the  hands  of  a  good 
feeder.  Much  will  also  depend  on  the  inherited  ability  from  the 
sire  and  dam.  Even  different  individuals  in  the  same  litter  would 
differ  in  weight  at  a  certain  age  if  each  was  fed  by  the  same 
man  on  the  same  ration,  so  it  seems  that  not  much  information 
can  be  given  along  this  line,  except  in  a  general  way. 

One  feeder  will  take  a  litter  of  pigs  from  a  sow,  that  he  is 
particularly  interested  in  making  as  large  as  possible  at  six  months 
of  age,  and  he  can  make  them  weigh  as  high  as  225  pounds  each, 
and  possibly  even  more  than  this.  He  may  take  another  litter 
and  fail  to  make,  with  the  same  care  and  ration,  even  180  pounds 
each  at  six  months  of  age. 

On  the  other  hand  the  pig  that  is  pushed  to  weigh  every  pound 
possible  at  six  months,  will,  if  he  accomplishes  the  feat  of  weigh- 
ing 225  or  250  pounds,  as  is  occasionally  the  case,  be  practically 
ruined  for  future  use  in  the  breeding  herd,  but  of  course  for  the 
market  he  could  be  cashed  in  quicker  than  a  much  lighter  weight 
pig.  I  think  fair  weights  might  be  as  follows: 

3  months  of  age 60  to    75  pounds 

6  months  of  age 140  to  180  pounds 

8  months  of  age  225  to  250  pounds 

1  year 300  to  350  pounds 

This  will  be  about  right  unless  the  pig  has  been  crowded  for 
show,  or  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  how  heavy  it  could  be  made  at 
a  certain  age.  For  breeding  purposes  pigs  that  are  not  developed 
too  fast  up  to  from  6  to  9  months  of  age,  generally  develop  into 
larger  and  better  breeding  animals  than  those  that  are  crowded 
to  the  limit  from  birth. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

SYSTEMS  OF  BREEDING 

Inbreeding. — This  is  one  of  the  surest  ways  known  to  establish 
permanent  type  in  animals,  and  has  been  from  the  time  of  the 
early  history  of  improved  herds  of  swine,  as  well  as  all  other 
domestic  animals.  It  might  be  said  it  is  nature's  way  of  repro- 
duction among  animals  and  all  living  things,  except  the.  human 
family,  but  it  must  be  carried  on  with  great  caution  when  handled 
by  man.  Of  course  in  the  matter  of  wild  animals,  birds,  etc.,  it 
is  simply  a  matter  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  so  that  weaklings 
would  never  probably  be  reproducers  of  their  kind.  For  instance, 
take  game  birds;  there  seems  to  be  no  degeneration  of  their 
species,  as  there  would  be  in  animals  of  the  domestic  kind  if  they 
were  allowed  to  take  nature's  course  unlimited,  but  a  man  of 
wise  judgment  can  inbreed  even  to  a  great  degree,  by  being  ex- 
tremely careful  in  his  matings  and  always  seeing  that  no  female 
with  a  marked  weak  point  in  her  make-up  is  ever  mated  with  a 
sire  with  the  same  weakness.  In  other  words,  the  mating  should 
be  of  two  animals  of  similar  blood  lines,  both  strong  and  well 
developed  in  their  general  make-up.  In  this  latter  case  the  produce 
should  be  an  improvement  on  either  sire  or  dam,  and  yet  there 
will  occasionally  crop  out  an  inferior  animal  or  two  in  the  off- 
spring which  should  immediately  be  discarded  as  a  future  repro- 
ducer of  its  kind.  Herds  would  be  improved  to  a  great  degree  if 
this  rule  was  practiced  intelligently,  but  woe  be  unto  the  practice 
of  indiscriminate  inbreeding. 

Line-Breeding. — This  is  somewhat  similar  to  inbreeding,  but 
not  carried  to  as  great  an  extent.  It  is  the  mating  of  animals 
along  similar  blood  lines  on  the  part  of  both  sire  and  dam  with 
occasional  out-crosses,  that  is,  a  cross  of  different  blood  lines,  but 
of  the  same  type,  a  little  further  back  in  the  pedigree,  as  illustrated 
in  this  chapter  where  a  sample  pedigree  of  a  closely  inbred  animal 
is  shown  and  also  another  pedigree  of  a  strongly  line-bred  animal. 

Cross-Breeding. — Strictly  speaking,  this  is  understood  to  mean 
the  mating  of  two  animals  that  are  of  pure  breeding  but  of 
different  breeds,  as  crossing  a  Berkshire  boar  on  a  Poland-China 
sow,  or  any  other  of  the  pure  breeds  bred  together.  Cross-breeding 
from  the  feeders'  and  farmers'  standpoint  produces  in  the  first 
cross  a  very  superior  feeding  animal,  often  the  produce  being 
better  for  pork  purposes  than  the  pure-bred  but  it  must  stop  at 
the  first  cross;  by  further  crossing,  the  animals  deteriorate  and 
the  result  is  the  reversion  to  the  scrub.  It  is  not  generally  cus- 
tomary to  do  any  cross  breeding  except  for  experiments  or  special 
results  in  the  first  cross. 

48 


SYSTEMS  OF  BREEDING 

SPECIMEN  PEDIGREE   OF   A   LINE-BRED   ANIMAL 

Climax  Baron  112983 
Farrowed  Sept.  26,  1907 


49 


I  Masterpiece  Climax 
100001   . 


Matchless  Baroness 
103002   . 


Masterpiece  77000... 


Lustre  Lady  2d 
66416  . 


Black  Robinhood 

66086 
Duchess  221st  56257 

Imp.  Lustre 's  Bachelor 

52262 
Columbus  Girl  2d 

47068 

Black    Robinhood 

66086 
I  Duchess  221st  56257 

f  Baron    Lee    of    River- 
Baron's  Belle  4th  B{^e  70400 

88138   ]  CarlinviUe    Belle    5th 

63863 


Masterpiece  77000. 


You  will  notice  that  Climax  Baron  112983  is  a  line-bred  animal;  that 
his  sire  Masterpiece  Climax  is  a  son  of  Masterpiece,  and  his  dam,  Match- 
less Baroness,  is  a  daughter  of  Masterpiece.  But  Masterpiece  Climax,  the 
sire  of  Climax  Baron,  was  out  of  a  sow  sired  by  an  imported  boar,  this 
giving  an  outcross  that  proved  especially  desirable  in  our  herd. 


SPECIMEN   PEDIGREE    OF    AN    INBRED    ANIMAL 
Fairfield  Rival  112412 

Farrowed  Sept.  10,  1907 


OQ 


Lord  Premier's 
Rival  92805  . 


Longfellow's  Duch- 


ess  8th  102611, 


Lord  Premier  50001 


Lee's  Artful  Belle 
3rd  88403   . 


Premier  Longfellow 
68600   . 


I  Baron  Lee  4th  33446 
1  Margery  37491 

'Baron  Lee  8th  48160 
A,rtful  Belle  30th  64947 


Baron  Lee  6th  34246 


Duchess  279th  75009*.  . 


Lord  Premier  50001 
Duchess  168th  44532 


50 


FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG   MAN 


FAIRFIELD  RIVAL  112412  is  an  intensely  inbred  animal  and  a  careful 
study  of  this  boar's  pedigree  may  not  be  out  of  place. 

You  will  note  that  the  sire  of  Fairfield  Rival  was  Lord  Premier's  Rival, 
a  son  of  Lord  Premier,  and  that  Lord  Premier's  sire  was  Baron  Lee  4th. 
The  dam  of  Lord  Premier's  Rival,  was  a  daughter  of  Baron  Lee  8th,  a  full 
brother  of  the  sire  of  Lord  Premier,  and  the  next  dam,  Artful  Belle  30th, 
was  a  daughter  of  Lord  Premier. 

Notice  also  how  the  dam  of  Fairfield  Rival  is  bred.  She  is  a  daughter 
of  Premier  Longfellow,  who  was  sired  by  Baron  Lee  6th,  a  full  brother 
of  the  sire  of  Lord  Premier,  and  Premier  Longfellow's  dam,  Duchess  222d, 
was  a  daughter  of  Lord  Premier.  Her  dam,  Duchess  279th,  was  a  daughter 
of  Lord  Premier,  and  was  out  of  a  daughter  of  King  Lee  2d,  a  full  brother 
of  the  sire  of  Lord  Premier. 

No  matter  how  you  trace  the  breeding  of  Fairfield  Rival  it  traces 
directly  to  one  family,  that  is,  Lord  Premier  or  his  sire,  or  full  brothers 
of  his  sire. 


PLATE  XII.       Concrete  Dipping  Tank 


CHAPTER  XIV 
SELECTING  A  BOAR  FOR  COMMON  SOWS 

There  are  thousands  of  pure-bred  boars  bought  annually  for 
use  in  the  herds  of  farmers  who  do  not  care  to  grow  hogs  except 
for  the  open  market,  and  while  the  selection  of  a  boar  for  this  pur- 
pose is  of  much  importance,  yet  it  is  not  so  necessary  that  the  buyer 
should  be  a  student  of  pedigrees  as  in  the  case  of  the  breeder  of 
pure-breds,  but  it  is  of  vital  importance  that  the  farmer  buy  a  pure- 
bred boar  and  that  the  boar  be  not  only  well  bred  but  a  good  indi- 
vidual of  the  easy-feeding,  early-maturing  sort,  and  himself  vigor- 
ous and  masculine.  Such  a  boar  will  add  several  times  his  cost  in 
the  feeding  and  quick-maturing  qualities  of  his  pigs  from  common 
sows.  Sometimes  conservative  farmers  do  not  like  to  pay  the  price 
asked  by  breeders  for  their  good  hogs,  yet  I  feel  sure  it  is  false 
economy,  as  the  better  ones  will  prove  the  most  profitable.  I  once 
saw  a  farmer  outbid  a  breeder  for  a  good  boar,  and  he  got  him  at  a 
higher  price  than  many  breeders  will  pay,  saying,  "I  never  stop  at 
any  reasonable  price  for  a  good  boar  to  sire  pigs  for  the  market." 
This  man  was  a  breeder  of  pure-bred  cattle  and  knew  the  value  of  a 
good  sire,  and  bred  and  fed  hogs  at  a  profit. 

Buy  the  Boar  Early. — To  the  farmer  who  wishes  to  purchase 
a  boar  for  use  as  a  producer  of  good  feeding  hogs  for  the  market,  I 
would  urge  that  he  not  wait  too  long  as  many  do,  but  that  he 
buy  the  boar  early,  while  the  herd  from  which  it  is  to  come  is  not 
all  culled,  so  that  he  may  get  a  better  choice  and  the  pig  may  become 
accustomed  to  his  new  home  long  before  he  is  to  be  used. 

When  the  pig  first  comes  to  his  new  home  he  should  be  given  a 
good-sized  grass  lot  to  exercise  in ;  a  dry,  warm  place  to  sleep,  and 
where  other  pigs  or  hogs  cannot  worry  him  by  running  along  the 
division  fence.  Take  good  care  of  him,  feeding  a  good  ration  that 
will  make  him  grow  rather  than  fatten  him.  Give  him  plenty  of 
good,  clean  water.  Handle  him  as  frequently  as  possible  that  he 
may  become  gentle.  A  boar  can  run  with  sows  under  proper  con- 
ditions, but  I  have  known  men  to  buy  a  boar,  and  as  soon  as  he 
arrives  turn  him  in  with  a  lot  of  sows,  and  they  would  almost  ruin 
him,  chasing  him  about  the  lot  until  he  would  pay  no  attention  to 
them,  and  the  result  would  be  a  letter  of  complaint  to  the  seller, 
claiming  that  the  boar  was  no  good.  Many  a  good  boar  has  been 
replaced  for  no  other  cause  than  poor  judgment  in  starting  to  use 
him.  We  replaced  one  a  few  years  ago,  and  this  discarded  boar 
got  ninety-six  pigs  for  a  neighbor  who  took  him  at  our  request.  A 
man  must  have  ' '  horse  sense "  if  he  is  a  successful  hog  man,  and  he 
must  use  it  at  all  times.  A  boar  pig  at  $50  to  use  to  produce  pigs* 
for  market  will  add  value  enough  to  the  pig  crop  that  he  gets,  to 
pay  for  two  or  three  such  boars — value  in  finish,  feeding  quality, 
uniformity  and  color,  all  of  which  go  to  help  top  the  market  when 
they  are  sold. 

51 


CHAPTER  XV 

FEEDING  FOR  MARKET 

The  matter  of  feeding  hogs  for  breeders  has  been  touched  on  in 
this  book  in  another  chapter,  but  it  would  be  well  to  say  something 
along  the  line  of  feeding  hogs  for  market.  It  is  the  general  cus- 
tom where  hogs  are  fed  for  market  to  run  them  together  in  larger 
numbers  than  where  they  are  fed  for  breeding  purposes  only,  and 
for  this  reason  the  system  of  feeding  may  be  a  little  different. 

In  growing  hogs  for  market  it  is  quite  important  that  the  litters 
come  as  nearly  at  the  same  time  in  the  early  spring  as  it  is  possible 
to  have  them,  that  they  may  be  uniform  in  size  when  the  market- 
able age  arrives.  These  pigs  should  be  fed  lightly  while  suckling 
the  sows  and  not  weaned  any  earlier  than  ten  to  twelve  weeks  old 
that  they  may  be  well  on  in  the  process  of  feeding,  and  after  wean- 
ing should  be  placed  in  a  first-class  pasture  where  the  grass  is  fresh, 
thick  and  green.  Clover  of  course  is  one  of  the  early  things.  Pos- 
sibly the  fall  sown  rye  should  come  on  first ;  a  pasture  of  this  would 
be  a  grand  place  to  start  the  pigs  after  weaning.  They  should, 
however,  have  a  good  ration  of  some  kind  of  flesh  producing  feed, 
grains  that  are  produced  on  the  farm  if  possible,  adding  to  this  as 
they  develop  some  shelled  corn  soaked  for  about  12  to  14  hours; 
enough  to  keep  them  growing  and  developing  at  a  rapid  rate. 

After  the  rye  pasture  then  a  choice  clover  pasture  or  alfalfa 
which  is  still  better.  Later  a  field  of  rape  sown  early  enough  so  that 
it  will  be  several  inches  high  before  the  pigs  are  turned  into  it. 
This  would  furnish  them  a  very  satisfactory  green  feed  for  the  bal- 
ance of  the  season,  or  until  time  to  begin  feeding  green  corn  of  some 
kind,  preferably  from  a  field  of  evergreen  sweet  corn,  which  when 
planted  in  the  northern  country,  would  be  ready  the  1st  of  August. 
This  is  a  great  feed  to  put  on  growth  and  flesh  but  should  be  fed 
with  great  care  until  the  pigs  become  used  to  it,  as  it  is  apt  to  scour 
them  if  fed  too  liberally  at  first.  This  will  last  until  the  field  corn 
is  in  good  condition  to  commence  feeding. 

Ill-Effects  of  Overfeeding. — I  am  practically  sure  that  much  of 
our  so-called  hog  cholera  in  the  early  months  of  the  fall  or  late 
summer,  is  nothing  more  than  a  condition  brought  about  by  over- 
feeding green  corn  when  it  is  in  the  roasting  ear  stage.  Pigs  that 
have  been  fed  possibly  on  scant  feed  during  the  summer  and  that 
are  in  rather  thin  condition  would,  if  given  too  much  green  corn  in 
its  early  stage  eat  much  more  than  they  could  properly  digest, 
bringing  about  a  condition  that  leaves  the  pigs  ready  to  take  any 
disease  that  comes  along.  If  they  are  troubled  with  worms  at  this 
time,  and  the  worms  are  not  expelled,  they  will  die  about  as  fast  as 
if  they  had  the  cholera. 

52 


FEEDING  FOR  MARKET  53 

Pigs  handled  as  above  mentioned  from  birth,  should  be  ready 
to  market  at  any  time  after  seven  or  eight  months  of  age,  as  suits 
the  owner,  or  could  be  carried  along  until  late  fall  or  early  winter, 
but  should  be  marketed  before  cold  weather  comes  on.  It  is  not  so 
easy  to  make  rapid  gains  in  cold  weather  as  during  the  early  fall 
months.  Pigs  handled  in  this  manner  should  top  the  market  when- 
ever they  are  shipped. 

Of  course  they  should  be  as  well  bred  as  possible  from  high- 
grade  sows  and  pure-bred  sires  to  make  the  best  gain,  and  should 
also  have  other  attentions  such  as  either  good  bathing  pools  made  of 
cement,  as  described  in  this  book,  in  which  they  can  lie  during  the 
hot  hours  of  the  day,  or  should  often  be  run  through  the  dipping 
tank,  or  should  be  sprayed  with  some  good  disinfectant  to  which 
crude  oil  has  been  added,  thus  keeping  them  free  from  vermin,  the 
skin  in  good  condition,  and  assuring  good  health. 

The  mixture  of  mineral  matter  mentioned  in  another  place 
should  always  be  before  them  under  cover  where  they  can  go  and 
eat  when  they  desire.  They  should  be  kept  free  from  worms.  This 
may  be  done  by  various  methods  as  herein  described. 

Porkmakmg  Profitable. — The  feeding  of  hogs  for  market  will 
be  found  one  of  the  most  profitable  departments  of  the  farm,  and 
with  as  little  trouble  as  anything  could  be  for  the  amount  of  money 
it  will  bring  in,  and  quite  a  large  number  of  hogs  might  be  fed 
for  market  on  every  farm  even  if  it  be  a  small  one,  and  if  one  will 
be  sure  to  have  his  hogs  inoculated  with  both  the  virus  and  serum, 
known  as  the  simultaneous  treatment,  before  they  are  even  exposed 
to  cholera,  he  need  have  no  fears  of  losing  them,  provided  the  work 
is  properly  done.  They  may  become  slightly  sick  from  the  treat- 
ment at  about  14  to  15  days  after  being  treated,  but  it  will  soon 
pass  off  and  the  death  loss  should  be  but  little  if  any.  The  writer 
knows  one  party  that  had  3,000  inoculated  and  lost  but  ten  from  the 
treatment.  In  our  own  herd  in  1913  we  inoculated  219  and  lost 
but  four  which  were  quite  young  and  probably  got  a  little  larger 
dose  of  virus  than  they  could  carry. 

Value  of  Uniformity. — If  one  thinks  that  all  kinds  of  hogs  will 
sell  for  the  same  price  on  the  market,  just  let  him  ship  a  car- 
load of  even  weight  and  uniformly  colored  pigs  to  any  market 
and  watch  them  sell  in  comparison  to  a  load  of  mixed  breeding, 
colors  and  weights.  He  will  then  be  fully  convinced  that  it  pays, 
and  pays  well,  to  use  a  good  pure-bred  boar  for  producing  pork 
hogs.  The  writer  once  shipped  a  carload  of  short  year-old  hogs 
to  the  Chicago  market  that  averaged  409  pounds  on  the  scales 
there.  The  shrinkage  was  but  80  pounds  on  the  whole  load,  and 
they  brought  25c  per  100  pounds  above  the  top  of  the  market  that 
day. 

Why?  Simply  because  they  were  as  alike  as  a  lot  of  beans, 
and  were  so  well  finished  that  there  was  little  shrink  in  them. 

It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  quality  counts  in  any  market  and 
with  any  kind  of  stock  or  other  produce  of  the  farm. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
FEEDS  AND  FEEDING 

Under  this  head  comes  tankage,  which  is  the  by-product  of 
the  packing  house,  made  up  from  various  waste  products  steamed 
to  a  high  degree  of  heat,  after  which  the  liquid  is  drawn  off  and 
the  residue  dried  and  ground  into  a  fine  meal.  Meatmeal  is  prac- 
tically the  same  thing  only  wholly  made  from  meat  scraps.  Both 
of  these  feeds  are  extremely  high  in  protein,  which  is  a  very 
necessary  element  combined  with  other  feeds  to  make  up  a  balanced 
ration. 

From  5  to  10  per  cent,  of  60  per  cent,  protein  tankage  is  gener- 
ally sufficient  to  balance  a  corn  ration  for  swine.  I  have  mentioned 
the  use  of  tankage  in  several  places  in  this  book. 

There  is  another  variety  of  meatmeal  which  the  writer  has  used 
quite  extensively.  It  is  purchased  from  the  large  butcher  shops,  or 
from  the  small  packing;  house  near  home  where  a  few  hundred 
hogs  are  slaughtered  daily,  and  is  known  as  "cracklings,"  being 
the  compressed  part  of  the  fat  after. the  lard  is  pressed  out  by 
hydraulic  pressure,  and  usually  comes  in  cakes  of  about  125  Ibs. 
each.  We  purchase  these  cakes  half  a  ton  or  a  ton  at  a  time,  break 
them  up  into  small  pieces  with  an  axe  and  run  the  broken  pieces 
through  our  steel  burr  grinder,  making  a  finely  ground  article 
of  pure  scrap  meat.  We  add  about  five  percent  of  this  to  a  pig's 
ration,  and  it  is  certainly  relished  by  pigs  of  any  age.  It  keeps 
the  bowels  open  and  in  nice  condition,  makes  the  hair  glossy  and 
is  of  great  value. 

Hogging  Down  Corn. — Some  farmers  and  perhaps  breeders  of 
pure-breds,  practice  the  custom  of  "hogging  down"  a  field  of 
corn.  If  this  is  to  be  done — and  it  is  a  good  custom — it  would  be  a 
very  great  help  at  the  time  of  the  last  cultivation  of  the  corn  to 
sow  some  rye  or  rape,  or  both,  in  the  corn  and  let  it  get  a  few 
inches  high  by  the  time  the  hogs  would  be  turned  into  the  corn. 
This  would  be  a  help  in  balancing  the  ration.  It  is  also  well  if 
the  field  of  corn  is  adjoining  a  clover  or  alfalfa  field,  as  either 
would  have  the  same  tendency  to  make  a  quicker  and  a  cheaper 
growth  than  would  the  corn  alone.  If  the  field  is  large  it  will  be  well 
to  fence  off  by  some  kind  of  temporary  fence,  a  portion  not  too 
large,  and  let  the  hogs  have  that  until  it  is  well  worked  down,  pre- 
ferably by  the  older  hogs  that  would  be  ready  for  market  first 
and  followed  by  the  younger  hogs  or  shotes  that  do  not  need  so 
heavy  a  feeding  of  corn.  This  is  a  very  economical  way  of  finishing 
up  a  bunch  of  hogs  for  the  market. 

Prof.  W.  J.  Carmichael,  formerly  of  the  University  of  Illinois, 
and  now  secretary  of  the  National  Swine  Growers'  Association, 

54 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  55 

states  that  a  field  had  been  planted  with  corn  continuously  for  33 
years  and  every  year  was  " hogged  down." 

Within  the  last  year  or  two  the  owner  desiring  to  learn  the 
condition  of  the  soil  and  how  much  corn  this  particular  piece 
was  producing  after  having  been  planted  to  corn  for  33  continu- 
ous years,  measured  off  a  piece  before  turning  in  the  hogs,  and  by 
actual  measurement  learned  that  the  land  was  producing  over  100 
bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre. 

It  behooves  the  thinking  farmer  to  keep  up  soil  production, 
especially  during  these  days  of  high  priced  land,  and  this  can  be 
done  profitably  and  economically  by  "hogging  down  corn," 
especially  if  rape  or  some  of  the  clovers  or  other  grasses,  or  some 
of  the  grains  like  rye,  is  sown  in  the  field  when  the  corn  is  laid 
by.  This  will  give  a  good  balanced  ration,  and  the  hogs  will  do 
the  harvesting  themselves  without  cost  to  the  farmer,  and  will 
doubtless,  taking  one  year  with  another,  bring  up.  the  selling  price 
of  his  corn. 

Comparison  of  Practices. — I  have  a  friend  who  made  a  com- 
parison between  "hogging  down"  part  of  a  field  of  wheat,  in 
1913,  and  cutting  the  other  part  of  the  field,  threshing  it  and 
hauling  it  to  the  elevator  and  selling  it  at  80c  per  bushel.  Estim- 
ating the  yield  of  the  entire  field  the  same,  the  portion  that  he 
"hogged  down"  after  weighing  the  hogs  when  turned  into  the 
wheat  field,  and  again  when  the  wheat  was  all  eaten  and  the  hogs 
sold  on  the  market,  he  found  that  his  wheat  that  was  "hogged 
down"  brought  him  $1.40  per  bushel  compred  with  80  cents  per 
bushel  for  that  threshed  and  hauled  to  market.  Further  than 
this  it  required  no  expense  to  market  the  wheat  that  was  "hogged 
down,"  and  it  also  benefited  the  land  to  have  the  hogs  on  it. 
There  are  many  little  things  in  the  hog  business  if  one  will  try 
them  out  that  are  not  only  more  economical  but  much  less  work 
than  old  methods. 

Of  course  where  men  are  breeding  hogs  of  the  pure  breeds, 
to  be  sold  as  breeders,  it  is  necessary  that  the  animals  should  be 
in  good  flesh  and  prime  condition  at  all  times,  to  be  ready  for  in- 
spection by  visiting  breeders.  With  such  animals  additional  care 
and  feed  may  be  necessary.  Certainly  it  is  a  good  plan  to  have 
everything  in  the  hog  line  at  least  in  good  breeding  condition  and 
always  ready  for  inspection. 

Green  Feed. — Every  breeder  or  feeder  should  know  what  are 
the  best  grasses,  grains  and  other  feeds  that  can  be  grown  in  his 
locality,  and  can  easily  get  this  information  from  his  state  agri- 
cultural college,  and  should  use  his  judgment  in  selecting  those 
that  are  best.  The  essential  thing  is  to  have  plenty  of  green  feed  at 
all  times  of  the  year  if  possible,  either  for  grazing  or  that  can  be 
used  during  the  season  when  there  is  no  pasture,  as  in  our  north- 
ern and  western  states.  In  portions  of  the  country  where  roots 
are  grown  to  some  extent,  such  as  mangels,  turnips,  sugar  beets,  etc., 


56  FORTY   YEARS'   EXPERIENCE  OP  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

they  can  be  used  with  success  as  a  succulent  feed  during  the  winter 
months,  but  my  experience  is  that  the  average  farmer  or  any  help 
that  he  can  hire  will  do  mighty  little  getting  down  on  the  knees  to 
work  among  roots  of  any  kind,  which  is  necessary  in  order  to  thin 
out  and  keep  clean  from  weeds  until  they  become  large  enough  to  be 
cultivated  in  the  proper  manner,  so  the  root  question  with  us  has 
never,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  years,  been  considered  in 
our  ration  for  succulent  feed,  preferring  to  use  the  last  cutting 
of  green  alfalfa  instead.  Let  me  emphasize  the  great  importance 
of  pasture  and  succulent  feed  at  all  times. 

Cooking  Feed. — It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  nutriment  in 
feed  for  swine,  or  its  value  as  a  flesh  producer,  is  not  increased 
by  cooking;  but  it  is  also  a  well-known  fact  that  during  the  cold 
months,  at  least  in  the  northern^  states,  much  benefit  is  derived 
in  feeding  Fall  pigs  and  others  not  well  on  to  maturity,  a  warm 
feed  rather  than  one  mixed  with  cold,  icy  water. 

There  are  some  kinds  of  feed,  however,  often  fed  during  the 
winter  that  require  thorough  cooking;  particularly  is  this  true  of 
potatoes,  which  some  people  use  when  they  have  a  quantity  of 
small  ones  sorted  out  from  the  regular  lot.  Potatoes  are  of  little 
food  value  unless  thoroughly  cooked,  and  when  so  cooked  and  mixed 
with  corn  meal  and  other  ground  grains  are  really  a  valuable 
adjunct  to  the  ration.  Shelled  corn  is  often  fed  to  young  pigs 
during  the  winter,  and  this  is  much  improved  by  being  steamed 
until  soft,  then  cooled  down  to  the  proper  temperature  for  feed- 
ing, but  such  matters  will  be  treated  in  another  chapter. 

For  Fall  Litters. — We  have  for  many  years  made  it  a  practice 
to  feed  fall  litters  (either  not  weaned  or  recently  weaned)  during 
the  entire  winter  on  a  feed  mixed  with  hot  water  that  would  make 
it  quite  warm  for  the  pigs  when  poured  in  the  trough.  For  this 
purpose  we  have  used  a  boiler  of  about  ten-horse-power  capacity, 
in  which  steam  can  be  raised  in  a  very  few  minutes,  with  pres- 
sure enough  to  heat  several  barrels  of  water.  While  steam  is 
getting  up  the  water  is  let  into  the  barrels  or  mixing  tank,  which, 
in  our  case,  is  on  wheels  and  divided  into  four  compartments,  and  as 
soon  as  steam  is  up  the  hose  is  turned  in  and  in  a  few  minutes 
the  water  is  as  hot  as  necessary.  We  then  mix  in  the  feed,  perhaps 
of  several  different  mixtures  in  the  four  compartments,  to  ac- 
commodate the  animals  of  different  ages  and  conditions.  This 
is  fed  and  quickly  eaten,  when  the  pigs  go  back  to  their  warm 
sleeping  houses,  thoroughly  satisfied  and  contented.  Whereas, 
if  cold  or  ice  water  was  used,  it  would  require  most  of  the  day 
for  the  animal  heat  to  warm  the  pig  up  to  its  normal  temperature, 
thus  taking  more  feed  and  giving  far  less  satisfactory  results. 

There  are  various  methods  of  getting  hot  water  for  the  purpose 
of  mixing  the  feed  for  pigs  during  cold  weather.  There  is  manu- 
factured a  very  desirable  outfit  for  heating  water  by  process  of 
steam,  with  an  attachment  to  temporarily  or  permanently  warm 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING  57 

farrowing  pens.  We  speak  advisedly  regarding  this  cooker  for 
the  reason  we  formerly  used  two  of  them,  but  in  later  years  thought 
we  needed  a  larger  affair  and  purchased  a  ten-horse-power  steam 
boiler,  which  has  proven  a  great  success. 

There  are  other  kinds  of  hot-water  heaters  made  for  this  pur- 
pose, as  well  as  the  old-fashioned  kettle  set  in  a  stone  arch,  which 
will  do  where  but  little  water  is  needed,  but  it  would  be  entirely 
unfit  for  furnishing  hot  water  for  a  large  herd. 

The  kind  of  steam  generator  or  hot-water  heater  is  immaterial 
so  long  as  it  does  the  work  and  furnishes  enough  for  mixing  the 
feed  for  the  herd,  but  I  must  insist  that,  for  young  pigs  before 
and  just  after  weaning,  warm  feed  is  necessary  for  best  results 
and  is  of  equal  value  for  young  shotes. 

When  the  hogs  are  well  matured  it  is  not  necessary  to  give 
them  this  extra  attention  and  they  can  make  good  growth  and 
development  on  dry  feed,  where  plenty  of  pure  water  is  supplied 
for  them.  This  saves  much  labor  and  prevents  the  freezing  of  swill 
in  troughs. 

Of  course  the  breeders  in  the  southern  states  and  the  warmer 
countries  are  not  supposed  to  have  this  extra  expense  in  warming 
feed,  yet  even  in  such  states  there  are  times  when  warm  feed  would 
taste  wonderfully  good  to  a  pig  from  a  late  fall  litter. 

Soiling. — Where  large  numbers  of  hogs  are  kept  on  a  small 
farm,  it  is  sometimes  quite  convenient  to  have  small  plots  of  green 
feed  that  can  be  cut  and  fed  in  the  troughs  or  feed  places  where 
the  hogs  are  kept.  This  method  of  feeding  green  feed  is  known 
as  "  soiling. "  For  instance,  take  a  small  patch  of  fall  rye,  which 
is  about  the  earliest  green  thing  to  be  found  in  the  spring,  and 
when  it  gets  up  a  few  inches  high  it  can  be  mowed  off  in  small 
quantities  daily  and  fed  to  the  hogs  in  their  regular  feeding 
places  while  fresh  and  green.  A  very  small  piece  of  ground  in 
this  manner  will  furnish  a  large  amount  of  green  feed.  While 
the  green  rye  is  being  cut  off  some  other  crop  can  be  planted  or 
sown  such  as  rape  for  feeding  after  the  rye  is  gone  and  the  clovers 
are  dried  up.  A  small  patch  of  alfalfa  adjoining  hog  pastures 
would  also  be  of  great  value ;  this  could  be  cut  and  fed  green,  and 
a  very  small  patch  would  feed  a  large  number  of  hogs,  for  some 
time.  By  feeding  it  in  racks  such  as  described  in  this  book,  there 
would  be  very  little  waste  from  soiling. 

Crops  to  Feed  Green. — After  rape  once  gets  a  good  start  and 
becomes  large  enough  to  mow  and  feed  as  in  the  above  manner  it 
can  be  recut  as  fast  as  it  grows  up  to  the  proper  height,  all  through 
the  season  until  freezing  weather  comes.  A  small  field  of  evergreen 
sweet  corn  can  be  handled  in  the  same  way.  As  soon  as  the  ears 
are  formed  and  are  of  proper  size  for  roasting,  this  may  be 
cut  and  given  to  the  pigs  daily  in  small  quantities  at  first,  in- 
creasing as  they  become  used  to  it,  until  they  can  have  all  they 
will  eat  up  clean.  I  believe  soiling  can  be  practiced  with  economy, 


58  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

especially  where  hogs  are  kept  in  separate  lots  and  could  not  be 
placed  in  a  pasture.  Besides  there  would  be  no  waste  from  soil- 
ing as  none  of  the  feed  would  be  injured  by  the  animals  walking 
over  it.  We  have  never  practiced  this  system  to  any  extent,  but 
believe  it  could  be  made  one  of  the  best  ways  of  handling  green 
feed  where  one  did  not  have  suitable  pastures  for  each  lot. 

Roots  could  be  handled  in  this  way  also,  but  would  not  be  neces- 
sary except  for  winter,  when  green  forage  was  impossible  other 
than  alfalfa,  cowpeas  and  clover. 

How  to  Make  Cob  Charcoal. — As  charcoal  is  a  very  desirable 
supplemental  food  for  pigs,  it  is  well  to  know  how  to  make  a 
good  article  and  cheaply,  particularly  in  the  cornbelt  where  there 
are  more  or  less  cobs  after  corn  shelling  season. 

Dig  a  hole  in  the  ground  about  six  feet  deep,  and  four  or  five 
feet  across,  bricking  it  up  with  fire  brick  so  there  will  be  no 
danger  of  its  caving  in  or  becoming  broken  up.  Build  it  up  to  a 
level  with  the  ground  and  have  a  heavy  galvanized  iron  cover  made 
large  enough  to  cover  the  pit  tightly.  Then  take  a  double  wagon 
box  full  of  dry  cobs  and  start  a  little  fire  in  the  bottom  of  the  pit, 
adding  a  few  cobs  as  fast  as  those  in  the  pit  begin  to  burn  and  come 
to  a  red  glow — actually  burned  to  a  charcoal — yet  looking  bright 
red.  As  fast  as  this  condition  appears  in  the  pit  add  a  few  more 
cobs,  until  the  entire  pit  becomes  filled  to  the  top  with  a  glowing 
mass  of  burned  cobs.  Then  have  handy  a  few  barrels  of  water  in 
which  salt  is  dissolved  and  sprinkle  it  on  this  pit  of  burning,  glow- 
ing cobs  until  the  fire  is  entirely  extinguished.  Then  cover  the 
pit  with  the  iron  cover,  packing  a  little  dirt  on  the  edge  so  no 
air  can  get  in  the  glowing  mass,  and  leave  it  until  the  next  day, 
when  the  fire  will  be  all  gone  and  the  pit  full  of  charred  cobs  in 
a  condition  where  they  can  almost  be  crushed  with  the  thumb  and 
finger.  Let  it  stand  until  you  know  it  is  absolutely  cool  before 
feeding,  then  put  a  bushel  basket  full  in  every  lot  where  there 
is  a  sow  and  litter  or  where  there  are  eight  or  more  pigs.  It  will 
be  surprising  to  you  to  see  how  eagerly  this  is  eaten  by  pigs  and 
hogs  of  eve.ry  age  and  condition.  They  seem  to  relish  it  very 
much  and  it  acts  as  a  corrector  of  acidity.  This  is  a  good  thing 
to  have  on  hand  at  all  times  if  possible.  Good  charcoal  cannot  be 
made  by  raking  up  cobs  from  the  feed  yard  and  burning  them  in 
the  open  air,  for  the  reason  they  will  either  all  burn  up  to  ashes, 
or  if  put  out  with  water,  will  leave  many  of  them  simply  scorched 
and  not  burned  to  charcoal. 

Pig  Meal. — For  many  years  we  have  been  experimenting  with 
different  rations  for  pigs,  and  are  now  perfecting  a  pig  meal  which 
is  giving  splendid  results,  and  can  be  fed  not  only  to  young  pigs 
but  to  older  animals  as  well. 

Housecleaning. — Besides  the  matter  of  keeping  all  sleeping 
pens  and  feeding  places  clean,  it  is  well  for  the  breeder  to  look 


FEEDS  AND  FEEDING 


59 


carefully  after  the  premises  in  general  by  having  a  regular  clean- 
up at  least  twice  a  year,  buildings,  yards,  fences,  etc.  This  would 
not  only  give  a  good  appearance  but  would  be  a  benefit  along  sani- 
tary lines.  There  are  many  good  disinfectants  and  some  should 
be  used  weekly,  by  spraying  the  troughs,  feeding  utensils,  mixing 
barrels,  etc.,  as  well  as  the  feeding  floors  and  sleeping  places. 
Feed  yards  should  be  well  cleaned  up  and  kept  free  from  cobs 
and  other  accumulations.  These  are  small  matters,  yet  quite 
important  and  should  be  carefully  looked  after. 


PLATE  XIII.     Convenient  Back  for  Feeding  Alfalfa 


CHAPTER  XVII 

ADVANTAGES  OF  SHOWING 

For  the  breeder  of  pure-bred  hogs  who  wishes  to  establish  a 
substantial  trade,  it  is  very  necessary  that,  as  soon  as  he  becomes 
well  versed  and  properly  started  in  his  breeding  line,  he  should 
make  it  a  practice  each  year  to  fit  a  show  herd.  Possibly  at  first  it 
is  as  well  for  him  to  prepare  only  for  county  shows,  until  he  thor- 
oughly learns  what  is  required  to  win  at  the  big  shows  and  ex- 
positions. There  is  no  way,  in  my  opinion,  in  which  a  young 
breeder  can  so  quickly  get  before  the  people  and  started  to  selling 
his  hogs  for  breeders  as  to  annually  fit  enough  animals  to  fill  the 
classes  usually  provided  for  in  the  various  premium  lists. 

The  reason  I  suggest  that  the  beginner  commence  his  show 
career  at  the  county  fairs,  is  from  the  fact  that  I  passed  through 
all  these  little  troubles  when  I  was  a  great  many  years  younger 
than  I  am  now  and  know  what  the  difficulties  are  for  a  beginner. 
It  is  hardly  expected  that  a  young  breeder  who  has  never  followed 
the  practice  of  showing,  and  who  has  probably  not  spent  a  very 
large  amount  of  money  in  the  foundation  of  his  herd,  can  win  at 
state  fairs  and  expositions  where  only  a  few  great  show  animals 
can  get  the  money.  Let  the  county  fairs  be  the  stepping  stones  to 
larger  ones  where  it  requires,  practically  speaking,  the  P.  T. 
Barnums  of  the  business  to  win. 

Never  will  I  forget  the  time  way  back  in  the  '70  's  when  I  made 
my  first  show  at  a  state  fair.  It  was  at  the  Illinois  State  Fair 
when  it  went  around  on  wheels,  and  that  year  was  located  at 
Freeport.  I  had  only  been  in  the  business  a  year;  knew  nothing 
of  what  it  required  to;  even  have  a  chance  of  getting  into  the 
money ;  but  nevertheless  I  was  full  of  enthusiasm  and  overflowing 
with  ignorance.  I  fitted  up  a  portion  of  a  herd  which  I  thought 
was  "some  pigs"  but  found,  much  to  my  profit  eventually,  that 
they  were  only  ordinary.  Starting  out  with  much  pride  and  hav- 
ing already  figured  the  amount  of  money  I  would  bring  home 
by  adding,  up  the  amounts  in(  the  premium  lists,  I  found  after 
the  fair  was  over,  that  I  was  really  a  wiser  man  and  richer  in 
knowledge,  but  poorer  financially  than  when  I  arrived  on  the 
grounds,  beaming  with  confidence.  I  did  not  even  get  in  sight 
of  the  premium  money.  Those  were  the  days  when  a  young 
breeder  was  hardly  noticed,  but,  being  made  of  the  kind  of  stuff 
that  never  gives  up,  but  sticks,  I  did  not  parade  the  grounds  con- 
demning the  judges  for  lack  of  knowledge,  nor  inform  the  manag- 
ers of  the  state  fair  that  I  would  never  show  again  at  their  fair ;  but 
quietly  studied  the  conformation  of  the  animals  that  were  good 
enough  to  win,  then  returned  home  with  the  determination  to  come 
a  little  stronger  next  year. 

60 


ADVANTAGES  OF  SHOWING 


61 


This  was  followed  up  several  years  before  getting  much  above 
the  white  and  yellow  ribbons.  The  only  blue  thing  I  found  in 
those  days  was  my  feelings  in  not  being  able  to  win.  This  is  where 
I  made  a  mistake  by  attempting,  ignorant  as  I  was,  to  show  at  the 
great  state  fairs,  rather  than  starting  at  county  fairs.  But  the 
determination  was  in  me  and  the  show  ring  was  followed,  as  large 
as  it  was  and  as  great  as  the  shows  were,  from  1877  until  1893, 
when  the  climax  was  reached  at  the  Chicago  World's  Fair.  As 
I  grew  in  knowledge  and  experience  each  year,  I  was  able  to  win 
a  few  of  the  better  prizes  and  as  the  years  came  and  went,  won 
more  prizes,  until  it  was  a  pretty  sure  thing  when  I  started  out 
on  an  eight  weeks'  trip  to  the  big  state  fairs,  that  I  would  win 
money  enough  to  pay  all  expenses  and  more  and  be  benefited 
greatly  by  building  a  substantial  acquaintance  among  breeders 
in  our  line. 

The  trade  grew  annually  and  after  winning  the  grand  champion- 
ship at  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago  for  the  best  herd,  consisting 
of  one  boar  and  four  sows,  over  one  year  old,  my  name  was  finally 
placed  on  the  map  and  my  son  and  I  have  practically  discontinued 
showing  since  that  time. 

I  strongly  urge  the  show  ring  as  a  means,  not  only  of  education 
for  the  breeder,  but  of  building  up  a  substantial  business. 


"V 

CHAPTER  XVIII 
SELECTING  AND  FITTING  THE  SHOW  HERD 

The  selection  of  the.  show  herd  requires  a  knowledge  of  what 
it  takes,  when  well  fitted,  to  win.  One  should  commence  months 
in  advance  of  the  show  to  make  his  selections,  first  making  up  his 
mind  whether  or  not  he  wishes  to  fill  all  the  various  classes  fisted 
in  the  premium  lists,  which  are  now  so  made  up  that  the  same 
animals  can  show  throughout  the  circuit  without  being  required 
to  carry  along  other  animals  of  various  ages  from  those  first  se- 
lected to  fill  the  classes. 

In  making  the  selection  for  the  show  herd,  commence  first  by 
selecting  the  animals  that  are  required  to  show  in  the  * '  aged  class. ' ' 

The  aged  sow  class  should  be  made  up  of  animals  that  have 
proven  themselves  breeders  and  should  show  by  their  appearance 
that  they  have  been  breeders.  Le.t  them,  however,  be  well  fitted 
without  overdoing  and  as  uniform  as  possible  in  type  and  conforma- 
tion, with  an  aged  boar  of  the  same  general  type,  showing  that  he 
has  been  a  breeder,  only  of  a  more  masculine  appearance,  thus 
making  up  a  desirable  herd  for  the  aged  class. 

The  tusks  of  the  boar  should  be  removed  before  starting  out  on 
the  show  circuit  and  should  be  so  closely  cut  that  no  trace  of  the 
same  can  be  seen.  This  should  be  done  both  for  the  safety  of 
the  caretaker  and  those  about  the  show  ring. 

Next,  select  the  senior  yearlings,  a  boar  and  three  sows — which 
should  carry  as  much  size,  or  nearly  so  as  the  aged  herd,  but  would 
naturally  be  somewhat  smoother  owing  to  the  difference  in  age  and 
previous  service.  Be  sure  that  these  are  also  uniform  in  type 
with  the  aged  herd. 

Next  select  the  junior  yearling — a  boar  and  three  sows,  which 
are,  generally  speaking,  the  sweetest  things  in  the  show  ring,  and 
being  at  an  age  that  shows  full  development  and  yet  not  re- 
quired to  have  produced  any  offspring,  naturally  will  be  much 
smoother  and  more  in  bloom.  This  class  is  usually  the  best  of 
all  at  any  breed  show.  These  should  be  of  the  same  general  type 
as  the  older  ones  selected,  and  should  be  in  the  pink  of  show  condi- 
tion— well  developed  at  every  point — carrying  all  the  flesh  that 
goes  to  make  an  ideal  show  animal,  yet  under  no  circumstances 
to  be  overly  fatted  or  fleshed  to  a  condition  of  unevenness  or 
roughness. 

This  same  careful  selection  must  be  carried  out  also  in  the  boar 
and  three  sows  under  twelve  months  of  age.  This  is  really  the 
hardest  class  to  fill  satisfactorily.  First,  for  the  reason  that  the 
young  boar  over  six  and  under  twelve  months  of  age  is  passing 

62 


SELECTING  AND  FITTING  THE   SHOW  HERD  63 

through  a  crisis  in  his  development;  this  being  an  age  that  al- 
most invariably,  if  the  boar  is  a  vigorous  one,  finds  him  fretting 
and  champing  more  or  less  when  in  sight  of  other  animals.  The 
sows,  also  of  this  age,  are  harder  to  properly  develop  and  bring 
out  in  their  best  form,  as  they  too  are  passing  through  a  period 
of  life  when  there  is  more  or  less  restlessness  and  excitement  than 
when  older. 

Some  people  greatly  enjoy  bringing  put  a  pig  herd,  under  six 
months  of  age,  as  there  are  often  enticing  prizes  offered  in  this 
class,  and  it  is  a  good  way  to  show  the  class  of  pigs  you  are  pro- 
ducing. While  this  class  should  also  be  as  uniform  in  type  and 
conformation  as  the  others,  and  should  be  well  fitted  in  flesh,  care 
should  be  taken  that  they  are  not  pushed  too  hard  and  become 
overdone,  and  more  or  less  wrinkled  in  appearance. 

Fitting  the  Show  Herd. — We  will  now  suppose  that  the  herd 
has  been  selected  along  proper  lines  and  we  are  ready  to  start 
the  fitting  process  with  a  bunch  of  animals  of  the  same  type. 
The  question  now  is  how  to  fit  these  animals  to  the  best  advantage 
without  overdoing  them,  so  they  will  show  when  the  fair  season 
opens,  in  the  best  possible  bloom. 

Always  remember  that  "bloom"  is  a  desirable  thing  in  a  show 
animal.  When  "in  bloom"  a  hog  is  at  its  best  and  this  "bloom" 
only  lasts  for  a  short  time,  and  is  as  easily  lost  as  the  bloom 
of  a  ripe  peach,  hence  the  matter  of  fitting  should  commence  in 
time  and  be  carried  on  in  a  manner  to  have  the  animals  "in  bloom" 
when  the  fair  season  opens. 

For  convenience  in  handling  and  caring  for  them,  the  show 
animals  should  be  kept  by  themselves  and  not  allowed  to  roam 
with  the  general  herd.  The  four  boars  being  fitted  for  the  dif- 
ferent herds  should  be  carefully  prepared  and  put  together  in 
one  lot  where  they  can  be  fed  and  handled  together  so  that  there 
will  be  no  danger  of  their  fighting  should  it  be  necessary  to  drive 
them  to  or  from  show  building  together.  The  aged  sows,  the 
senior  and  junior  yearlings,  should  also  be  fed  and  kept  in  one 
enclosure  for  best  results  during  the  fair  circuit,  when  it  is  neces- 
sary to  exercise  them  mornings  during  the  show  season.  The 
over  six  months  and  under  six  months  sows  can  also  be  kept  to- 
gether for  the  same  reasons. 

The  yards  or  lots,  where  the  animals  are  to  be  fitted  during  the 
next  few  months,  should  have  an  abundance  of  succulent  pasture, 
either  natural  grasses  or  other  green  forage  crop  provided  and 
each  lot  should  have  a  water  fountain  that  should  be  kept  well  sup- 
plied with  pure  clean  water  at  all  times.  Of  course  ample  shade 
should  be  provided — either  natural  or  artificial — and  no  dust 
should  be  allowed  to  accumulate  where  these  animals  lie  in  the 
shade.  If  possible,  a  cement  bathing  pool  large  enough  and 
deep  enough  in  the  deepest  part  to  practically  cover  them  should 


64  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OP  A  PRACTICAL  HOG   MAN 

be  provided,  in  which  the  water  should  be  changed  every  few 
days,  always  remembering  to  add  a  little  disinfectant  and  crude 
oil  to  the  water,  preventing  any  skin  troubles  or  lice. 

Feeding  the  Herd. — "When  one  starts  out  to  fit  a  herd  of  show 
animals  for  the  large  fair  circuits,  the  matter  of  expense  must, 
in  a  measure  be  forgotten  as  these  animals  should  have  the 
best  feed  possible  to  put  them  in  just  the  right  condition  to  show 
all  that  is  in  them.  We  have  found,  when  fitting  animals  for 
show,  that  we  have  to  make  some  changes  in  pur  regular  grain 
mixtures  for  best  results.  I  have  found  nothing  better  in  this 
case  than  to  feed  a  nice  rich  slop  feed,  made  up  about  as  fol- 
lows: 

For  the  older  animals  above  one  year  I  would  use  equal  parts 
of  finely  ground  corn  meal  and  the  best  quality  of  white  heavy 
middlings,  with  an  addition  of  ten  per  cent  old  process  oil  meal, 
thoroughly  mixed  together  before  being  wet,  and  if  sweet  skimmed 
milk  or  that  from  the  separator  is  possible  to  be  had  at  any  rea- 
sonable price,  the  feed  should  be  mixed  with  this  and  all  feed 
in  a  sweet  condition.  If  it  is  found  impossible  to  get  milk,  add 
tankage  to  the  oil  meal  (eight  to  ten  percent  oil  meal  and  five 
percent  tankage),  and  the  mixture  of  meal  and  middlings,  and  mix 
this  with  fresh  water  and  feed  it  after  it  soaks  a  few  hours — but 
never  allow  it  to  become  sour. 

Two  Feeds  a  Day. — I  think  two  feeds  a  day,  even  in  the  fitting 
of  a  show  herd,  is  as  good  as  three,  generally;  however,  it  would 
be  proper  and  perhaps  as  well  to  give  these  animals  a  little  soaked 
shelled  corn  that  has  soaked  long  enough  to  become  soft,  as  a 
noon-day  meal.  Where  this  is  done,  the  morning  and  evening 
feed  can  be  fed  a  little  earlier  and  later,  respectively. 

For  the  younger  herds  of  over  six  and  under  twelve  months, 
as  well  as  the  herd  under  six  months,  I  should  certainly  urge  the 
use  of  skimmed  sweet  milk  for  best  results.  I  have  known  show- 
men, while  fitting  young  pigs,  to  feed  whole  milk  fresh  from  the 
cow.  This  js  entirely  useless  and,  I  think,  is  one  of  the  surest 
ways  of  overdoing  the  pig  and  causing  him  to  break  down  in  the 
pasterns  and  it  is  also  almost  a  certainty  that  pigs  fed  fresh 
warm  whole  milk  will  become  more  or  less  wrinkled,  but  skim 
milk  is  not  so  apt  to  cause  this  trouble,  and  this  is  especially 
true  when  well  balanced  with  the  ground  feed. 

Always  remember,  however,  that  too  much  milk  is  worse  than 
none.  The  proper  amount  is  three  pounds  milk  to  one  pound 
of  grain;  with  this  your  ration  is  practically  balanced  or  at  least 
gives  the  best  results. 

Condiments. — If  any  of  the  animals  at  any  time  during  the 
fitting  do  not  eat  with  as  much  relish  as  would  seem  best,  there 
are  many  kinds  of  condiments  that  could  be  used  to  make  the 
feed  more  palatable.  A  sufficient  amount  of  brown  sugar  or 


SELECTING  AND  FITTING  THE  SHOW  HERD  65 

black  strap  molasses  to  well  sweeten  the  mixture,  will  make  the 
feed  much  more  palatable.  This  would  be  the  case  even  when 
milk  was  used  instead  of  water  in  mixing  the  feed. 

I  would,  by  all  means  urge,  while  fitting  these  hogs  for  show, 
that  a  mixture  of  mineral  matter  (mentioned  in  another  part 
of  this  book)  be  used.  It  may  be  well  to  mention  here  that  this 
should  be  made  up  of  ground  limestone,  with  perhaps  some  slacked 
lime-,  together  with  ground  phosphate  rock  or  any  other  material 
that  would  contain  plenty  of  phosphate  and  the  whole  mixed  with 
salt  to  make  it  more  palatable.  I  urge  the  use  of  this  material 
so  that  while  fleshing  these  animals  there  would  be  no  danger 
of  breaking  down  the  bone,  as  the  mineral  matter  is  essential 
for  bone  growth. 

If  any  of  the  younger  animals  in  the  show  herd  were  inclined 
to  be  a  little  weak  in  the  feet  or  pasterns,  I  would  buy  one  hundred 
pounds  of  finely  ground  bone  meal  or  bone  dust  and  mix  it  with  the 
mineral  matter  or  even  add  it  in  small  quantities  to  the  slop  feed. 

Exercise  Necessary. — Much  care  should  be  taken  in  fitting  the 
show  herd  not  to  break  them  down,  and  as  a  help  in  this  matter 
as  well  as  in  keeping  them  in  better  condition,  it  is  necessary  that 
the  show  herd  be  given  some  special  exercise  other  than  that  which 
they  will  naturally  take  in  their  enclosure.  By  taking  the  three 
older  boars  out  each  day  and  driving  a  half  mile  or  more  you 
will  not  only  have  them  under  perfect  control,  but  will  also  have 
them  in  a  condition  to  show  at  their  best  when  driven  in  the  show 
ring,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  show  sows  and  even  the  under 
a  year  herds. 

We  have  all  noticed,  while  standing  about  a  show  ring  and 
watching  the  animals  come  in  from  their  pens,  that  many  of  them, 
while  in  good  flesh,  are  not  really  in  show  condition,  for  the  reason 
that  they  cannot  walk  with  ease  and,  grace  but  wabble  around. 
A  show  animal  should  not  be  so  heavily  loaded  with  fat  as  not 
to  be  able  to  walk  with  ease  and  comfort.  It  is  not  always  the 
amount  of  flesh  that  an  animal  is  carrying  that  makes  it  show  at 
its  best,  but  the  smoothness  in  which  it  is  put  on  and  the  ease 
with  which  it  is  carried. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  what  is  known  as  "strong  breeding  con- 
dition", that  is,  flesh  enough  to  round  out  every  point  without 
overloading,  is  the  proper  show  condition. 

What  I  have  said  about  the  feed  to  be  used  in  fitting  the  show 
herd,  need  not  be  considered  as  an  absolute  iron-clad  rule.  Any  of 
the  mixtures  of  grain,  grasses,  etc.,  that  will  come  close  to  being 
a  balanced  ration  is  all  that  is  necessary.  I  merely  name  these 
feeds  as  among  what  we  have  found  to  be  the  most  satisfactory. 
The  real  object  is  to  feed  what  will  flesh  them  rapidly  and  not 
add  too  much  fat,  but  more  red  meat  or  flesh. 


66  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A   PRACTICAL   HOG   MAN 

Finishing  Touches. — While  fitting  the  herd  for  the  show  ring 
they  should  be  handled  daily  by  the  feeder,  by  brushing  them  a 
little  or  scratching  them  and  coaxing  them  to  lie  down  where 
he  can  handle  them  about  the  legs  and  feet,  so  that  when  you 
are  ready  to  trim  the  toes  and  hoofs  into  nice  shape  they  will  not 
get  excited,  but  will  lie  quietly  and  let  you  work  over  them  as  you 
wish. 

The  foot  and  pastern  of  the  show  pig  can  be  improved  one 
hundred  percent  by  proper  trimming.  When  the  pig  is  lying 
down,  quietly  take  the  foot  in  the  left  hand  and  with  a  very 
sharp  knife  trim  the  lower  edges  off  the  hoof,  commencing  well 
back  and  following  around  the  entire  hoof,  shaping  the  toe  up  as 
close  as  possible  to  the  fleshy  part  of  the  foot  without  injury. 
If  the  dewclaws  are  of  unusual  length  these  too  can  be  shaped 
up  at  the  bottom  and  pared  down  to  proper  shape.  All  this  work 
should  be  done  at  odd  times  before  starting  out  to  the  fair. 

A  nice  brushing  every  day  or  two  after  sprinkling  with  dis- 
infectant and  crude  oil  is  very  essential,  not  only  to  make  the  show 
herd  quiet  and  docile,  but  to  improve  the  condition  of  the  skin 
and  hair.  All  this  is  a  help  in  shedding  the  old  coat.  The  earlier 
this  is  commenced  in  the.  preparation  of  fitting  a  show  herd  the 
better.  Every  animal  except  the  under  six  months  pigs  should 
shed  off  his  or  her  old  coat  not  later  than  the  first  of  August,  that 
the  new  coat  may  be  nicely  started  before  the  fair  season  opens. 
Generally  all  this  will  come  along  in  due  time  if  the  animals 
are  fed  as  above  and  are  gaining  in  flesh  constantly.  If  any  of 
the  herd  should  not  begin  to  show  inclination  to  shed  by  the  mid- 
dle of  June  or  the  first  of  July, .  I  would  give  them  a  wallow 
hole  in  which  some  clay  has  been  placed,  if  it  is  not  naturally  a 
clay  soil,  keeping  this  hole  rather  thick  in  mud,  and  adding 
some  wood  ashes. 

Clipping  the  Hair. — Many  showmen  are  in  the  habit  of  clip- 
ping the  hair  of  their  older  animals  when  they  do  not  shed  off 
in  time.  While  this,  in  some  instances,  looks  better  than  an 
extremely  coarse  coat  of  hair,  it  always  shows  every  little  un- 
evenness  in  the  flesh  of  the  animal.  This  practice  is  more  com- 
mon among  the  Poland-China  showmen  than  any  other  breed 
I  believe,  yet  I  have  seen  some  show  animals  come  into  the  ring 
that  were  closely  clipped,  showing  almost  no  hair  and  sprayed  in 
oil,  that  really  I  think  were  not  showing  as  well  as  though  not 
clipped,  for  the  reason  that  little  uneven  places  could  be  plainly 
seen  along  the  back  and  sides,  evidence  to  the  Judge  that  they  did 
not  flesh  evenly  as  they  should,  and  would  in  a  way,  militate 
against  them. 

Before  entering  the  show  ring  or  as  early  after  arriving  on 
the  fair  grounds  as  possible,  the  herdsman  should  take  a  hand 
clipper  and  clip  the  long  hairs  off  the  edges  of  the  ears  and  about 
the  nose  and  jaw  of  the  hogs  and  also  clip  the  tail  clean  from 


SELECTING  AND  FITTING  THE   SHOW  HERD  67 

the  brush  back  to  the  tail  head,  giving  a  much  more  finished  ap- 
pearance to  the  animal  than  though  this  was  neglected.  The  above 
suggestions  properly  followed  and  the  bringing  of  the  herd  to  the 
shows  in  a  thoroughly  docile,  well  mannered  condition,  add  much 
to  their  credit  while  in  the  show  ring.  It  is  pretty  hard  for  a 
Judge  to  properly  examine  an  aged  boar  or  one  even  younger, 
if  he  is  brought  into  the  ring  with  four  or  five  men,  each  bump- 
ing him  around  with  a  short  hurdle — the  boar  certainly  is  not 
showing  to  the  best  advantage. 

Dressing. — A  nice  dressing  to  use  after  the  hogs  are  fitted  and 
in  show  condition,  before  entering  the  ring,  is  made  as  follows: 

Take  a  good  quality  of  cotton  seed  oil,  adding  enough  wood 
alcohol  to  thoroughly  cut  and  make  a  nice  thin  easy  running 
dressing.  After  the  hog  is  thoroughly  washed  and  his  skin  is 
clean  apply  with  a  brush  and  rub  it  in  thoroughly. 

One  of  the  most  detestable  dressings  that  I  have  ever  come  in 
contact  with  as  judge  at  the  great  shows  is  made  of  oil  and  lamp 
black.  The  animals,  as  they  come  into  the  show  ring,  are  not  only 
a  mass  of  grease  and  lamp  black,  but  the  attendants  are  about  as 
badly  blacked  up  as  the  hogs,  and  before  the  judge  is  half  through 
he  is  also  more  or  less  greased  up.  I  have  known  of  cases  where 
the  judge  had  to  send  his  clothes  to  be  cleaned  each  night  or 
put  on  a  clean  pair  of  overalls  each  day.  All  that  is  necessary 
as  a  dressing  is  something  that  will  make  the  hair  glossy  and 
yet  not  be  gummy. 

Exercise  on  the  Show  Circuit. — The  good  herdsman  and  care- 
taker does  not  lie  in  bed  until  late  in  the  morning,  but  is  up  early 
and  has  his  show  animals  out  on  the  grass  somewhere  about  the 
fair  grounds,  and  drives  them  around  for  an  hour  until  each 
animal  is  thoroughly  emptied  out  and  has  had  proper  exercise. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
HANDLING  SHOW  HERD  IN  THE  EING 

The  proper  fitting  and  handling;  of  the  show  herd  before  it 
starts  put  on  the  circuit,  will  prevent  much  trouble  in  handling 
the  animals  in  the  ring. 

With  the  herd  properly  trained,  there  is  nothing  with  which 
to  handle  them  compared  with  a  buggy  whip,  in  the  hands  of  a 
man  who  has  sense  enough  not  to  whip  the  hogs,  but  quietly  touch 
them  on,  either  side  of  the  head  to  place  them  where  he  wishes. 
As  a  matter  of  fact  this  has  been  my  experience  in  the  many  years 
of  handling  show  hogs.  I  never  need  a  hurdle  with  our  hogs. 
With  some  breeds  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have  a  hurdle  in 
handling  a  mature  boar  even  though  he  is  supposed  to  be  well 
mannered  and  docile,  but  there  is  no  excuse  in  using  a  hurdle  with 
a  bunch  of  sows  if  they  are  half  way  prepared  before  starting 
on  the  circuit.  When  a  hurdle  must  be  used,  let  it  be  a  light  one 
and  made  so  that  the  hog  cannot  see  through  it.  Don't  make  it 
of  narrow  slats  a  few  inches  apart,  but  cover  it  with  heavy  material, 
or  else  make  it  of  boards  tightly  matched  so  there  can  be  no  see- 
ing through  it.  When  in  the  ring  with  the  herd  or  a  single  animal, 
show  to  the  best  possible  advantage.  The  showman  has  this 
privilege. 

Feeding  on  Circuit. — Many  exhibitors  seem  to  think  that 
when  they  start  out  on  the  show  circuit  they  must  stuff  the 
animals  with  all  the  feed  possible,  not  only  during  the  time  they 
are  on  the  cars  going  to  and  from  the  shows  but  each  day  while 
on  the  grounds.  It  has  been  our  experience  that  the  man  who 
follows  this  custom  generally  arrives  home  with  his  hogs  much 
lighter  in  weight  than  when  he  started  out,  while  if  the  hogs 
had  been  given  only  water  to  drink  while  en  route  to  the  shows 
and  fed  lightly  for  the  first  day  afte.r  arriving  and  given  plenty 
of  exercise,  they  would  wind  up  the  circuit  in  much  better  'con- 
dition than  if  they  had  been  stuffed  all  the  time. 

I  have  known  an  exhibitor  to  buy  warm  milk  from  some  of  the 
dairymen  and  feed  his  pigs  all  they  could  hold,  though  they 
had  never  had  a  drop  at  home  while  being  fitted.  This  generally 
results  in  a  case  of  scours  with  the  pigs  "off  feed"  for  several 
days  and  by  the  time  they  go  into  the  ring  they  are  badly  gaunted 
up.  Of  course  if  the  pigs  have  had  this  ration  at  home  it  should 
be  continued.  Avoid  radical  changes  in  the  rations. 

Treatment  of  the  Herd  on  Its  Return  Home. — Many  successful 
exhibitors,  when  they  have  finished  the  show  circuit,  won  their 
laurels  and  arrived  home  safely  with  their  herds,  seem  to  think 
that  the  animals  now  need  no  further  attention,  except  feed. 


HANDLING  SHOW  HERD  IN  THE  RING  69 

This  is  a  great  mistake,  and  if  these  show  animals  are  expected 
to  go  on  and  prove  what  they  should  be,  desirable  and  regular 
breeders,  they  must  be.  handled  very  carefully. 

The  first  thing  I  would  advise  on  return  from  the  shows,  would 
be  to  quarantine  the  show  herd  on  a  portion  of  the  farm  or 
some  other  place  where  they  would  not  come  in  contact  with 
the  home  herd.  They  should  be  placed  on  good,  green,  succulent 
pasture,  if  possible,  and  if  not  possible,  should  have  some  kind 
of  green  feed  to  take  the  place  of  pasture.  They  should  be  fed 
quite  a  little  less  than  while  on  the  show  circuit,  and  no  fat- 
making  feed,  and  be  made  to  take  all  the  exercise  possible,  so  that 
they  may  be  reduced  in  flesh  somewhat — not  by  starving,  but  by 
lighter  feeding  and  abundant  exercise — and  if  they  have  not  been 
too  strongly  fitted,  they  will  soon  be  in  prime  condition  to  breed. 

The  show  herd  should  be  kept  in  quarantine  about  three  weeks, 
and  if  no  symptoms  of  disease  appear  by  that  time,  it  would  be 
safe  to  put  them  with  the  home  herd. 

Now  that  we  can  procure  a  reliable  hog  cholera  serum  I  would 
advise  all  hog  men  making  the  fair  circuits  to  give  each  show 
animal  a  large  dose  of  serum  (no  virus)  about  a  week  before  leav- 
ing home  for  the  fairs,  unless  they  have  positive  knowledge  that 
every  animal  in  their  show  herd  has  been  properly  and  permanently 
immuned  by  the  simultaneous  treatment. 

A  large  percent  of  bran  and  oats  mixed  with  a  small  amount 
of  middlings  and  cornmeal  is  an  excellent  feed  to  use  during  the 
reducing  period.  They  must  have  exercise  and  if  necessary  see 
that  they  get  it  by  driving  daily.  This  is  very  important  and 
must  not  be  overlooked. 

A  part  of  the  ration  may  consist  of  whole  oats  scattered  freely 
in  a  clean  place,  as  the  oats  themselves  are  an  excellent  feed,  and 
they  will  get  considerable  exercise  while  eating  them. 

I  might  say  right  here  that  with  many  exhibitors  it  is  a  cus- 
tom to  breed  the  show  sows  a  month  before  starting  out  on  the 
fair  circuit,  and  if  successful  in  settling  them,  so  much  the  better, 
even  though  the  litter  comes  at  an  unfavorable  time  of  the  year.  It 
simply  keeps  the  animals  breeding,  and  it  is  much  better  for  them. 


CHAPTER  XX 

TO  THE  EXHIBITOR  AND  FAIR  MANAGER 

The  wise  exhibitor  or  herdsman  will  so  arrange  his  circuit 
that  he  will  arrive  on  the  fair  grounds  as  early  before  the  open- 
ing of  the  fair  as  possible,  that  he  may  have  his  hogs  well  rested 
and  in  the  pink  of  condition  before  the  show  opens.  "Where  one 
attends  a  fair  each  week,  this  of  course  is  sometimes  a  hard  rule 
with  which  to  comply,  but  many  thinking  fair  managers  today 
are  so  arranging  their  dates  and  days  of  show  that  the  live  stock 
that  is  to  show  the  following  week  at  a  distant  state  is  allowed 
to  be  released  on  Friday  night — which,  by  the  way,  is  a  custom 
that  all  fairs  and  expositions  should  follow. 

Many  state  fairs  have,  too  many  men  among  their  management 
who  know  nothing  whatever  of  the  needs  of  the  live-stock  exhibitor 
while  on  the  circuit.  They  manage  their  show  as  though  it  were 
the  only  one  the  exhibitor  was  going  to  attend  and  seem  to  think 
that  the  exhibitor,  because  he  made  an  exhibition  at  their  fair, 
should  be  obliged  to  remain  there  until  the  last  man  is  gone.  They 
should  always  remember  that  without  the  live-stock  exhibit  their 
fair  would  soon  be  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  for  this  reason  should 
give  the  live-stock  exhibitor  every  encouragement  and  help  pos- 
sible. 

Be  Prepared  to  Show  Pedigrees. — Oftentimes  in  the  under-six- 
months  class  or  the  class  over  six  and  under  twelve  months,  there  is 
such  a  wide  range  of  sizes  that  one  hesitates  in  comparing.  Here  is 
where  every  exhibitor  should  produce  the  certificates  of  registry, 
and  if  any  of  the  animals  have  been  purchased  of  others,  the  cer- 
tificates of  transfer,  showing  exact  age  of  the  animals  on  exhibi- 
tion. This  would  avoid  any  unpleasantness  between  exhibitors 
or  between  the  exhibitor  and  the  judge. 

Authenticating  Ages. — It  is  pretty  hard  for  an  experienced 
judge  to  step  into  a  ring  of  pigs  showing  in  the  under-six-months 
class  and  find  most  of  them  of  proper  size  and  development,  and 
others  showing  by  their  general  make-up  that  they  are  far  beyond 
six  months  old,  even  being  old  enough  to  show  well  developed 
tusks,  which  every  man  knows  are  not  developed  until  after  the 
pig  is  six  months  of  age.  The  judge  who  knows  his  business,  while 
not  inclined  to  quarrel  with  the  exhibitor  over  the  age  of  his  pigs, 
will  quietly  ignore  them,  not  considering  them  eligible  to  the 
class.  This,  of  course,  generally  causes  the  exhibitor  to  complain 
when  he  should  be  quietly  informed  that  his  pigs  are  out  of  their 
class  owing  to  age,  and  unless  he  can  prove  by  certificates  of  reg- 
istry, properly  signed  by  the  record  association,  he  should  not 
be  allowed  in  the  ring.  For  this  reason  I  would  urge  every  pros- 
pective showman  to  always  start  out  fully  prepared  for  such 

70 


TO  THE  EXHIBITOR  AND  FAIR  MANAGER  71 

emergencies.  Many  is  the  time  that  I  have  asked  the  exhibitor, 
while  acting  as  judge,  the  age  of  his  animal;  he  generally  has  an 
answer  ready,  and  when  asked  if  he  has  his  registry  papers  with 
him,  he  replies  that  he  has  them  at  home,  but  forgot  to  bring 
them,  and  after  passing  around  the  ring  once  or  twice,  I  again 
ask  the  gentleman,  "What  did  you  tell  me  the  age  of  this  animal 
is?"  and  he  would  give  an  age  entirely  different.  I  have  done 
this  on  purpose  to  find  out  if  the  man  was  telling  the  truth.  You 
know  it  has  been  said  that  it  takes  an  awfully  smart  man  to  be  a 
liar. 

Again,  where  registry  papers  are  not  absolutely  insisted  upon, 
many  exhibitors  are  inclined,  when  asked  the  age  of  under-a-year 
animals,  to  give  the  date  of  Sept.  1  to  3,  as  their  date  of  birth, 
and  those  in  the  under-six-months  class  from  March  1  to  3.  This 
of  course,  has  to  be  taken  by  the  judge  as  a  fact,  however  much  he 
may  doubt  or  suspect. 

This  matter  of  showing  pigs  of  uncertain  ages  is  somewhat  in 
disrepute.  It  simply  puts  the  man  doing  business  right  up  against 
an  almost  impossible  chance  of  winning,  where  older  pigs  than 
should  be  admitted  to  the  class  are  being  shown.  I  know  of  no 
way  to  stop  this  except  by  the  rigid  enforcement  of  showing 
certificates  of  registry. 

One  may  say  that  the  same  rascality  might  be  covered  up 
by  the  owner  when  sending  his  pedigree  in  for  registration  giving 
a  wrong  birth  date,  showing  the  animal  younger  than  it  really 
was.  When  it  comes  to  this  proposition  the  fellow  will  have  to  be 
very  smart  or  he  will  be  tripped  up  sometime  by  having  regis- 
tered two  litters  from  the  same  sow  that  were  born  too  nearly  at 
the  same  time. 


CHAPTEB  XXI 

JUDGING  AT  SHOWS 

There  are  many  good  judges;  men  who  not  only  know  the 
correct  type  and  conformation  of  show  animals  of  the  various 
breeds,  but  are  men  above  reproach  and  can  always  be  relied  on  to 
be  absolutely  square  and  honest  in  their  decisions.  The  matter  of 
selecting  the  best  three  or  five  animals,  as  the  rules  in  the  pre- 
mium list  require,  is  no  small  task. 

The  first  thing  the  judge  must  do  when  he  steps  into  the  arena 
is  to  forget  all  friends  and  know  no  man.  He  must  judge  the 
hogs  only  and  let  no  personal  feelings  enter  his  mind.  If  his 
brother  or  son  should  be  showing  in  the  ring  he  should  be  a  man 
of  strong  enough  character  to  turn  down  their  animals,  if  not 
worthy,  just  as  quickly  as  though  shown  or  owned  by  an  entire 
stranger. 

The  judge  should  not  attempt  to  pass  on  the  animal  unless 
he  has  in  his  mind  a  true  picture  of  what  the  animal  of  that  age 
and  that  breed  should  be.  Of  course  no  animal,  even  a  show 
animal,  is  perfect. 

After  carefully  examining  each  animal  of  the  class  under  view, 
and  finally  deciding  which,  in  his  opinion,  is  the  best,  let  him  pass 
this  without  further  attention  and  consider  which  is  the  second 
best.  It  is  usually  much  easier  to  find  the  first  prize  animal  than 
the  third,  fourth  or  fifth,  but  after  the  judge  compares  points, 
conditions,  general  type  and  conformation,  and  has  his  mind 
made;  up,  let  him  line  these  animals  up  as  first,  second,  third, 
fourth  and  fifth  as  the  case  may  be,  for  the  clerk  to  take  the  entry 
number  and  write  the  proper  names  and  the  award  in  the  book. 
Then  he  should  by  all  means  be  ready  to  compare  these  animals 
in  the  presence  of  the  bystanders,  explaining  why  he  gave  this 
one  the  first  over  that  one  and  so  on.  It  is  surprising  to  a  judge 
sometimes  to  find  what  great  satisfaction  it  gives  the  exhibitor 
to  be  shown  where  his  animal  lacked  in  comparison  with  the  one 
above  him,  and  no  judge  should  act  unless  he  is  able  to  give  the 
reason. 

While  disliking  to  speak  of  myself  as  a  judge,  I  may  be  par- 
doned in  saying  that  I  have  acted  as  judge  at  practically  every 
state  fair  in  the  Union  and  I  make  it  a  practice  to  make  this 
explanation  after  each  decision  and  many  and  many  a  time  has  the 
loser  come  to  me  and  said:  "Mr.  Lovejoy,  I  learned  more  today 
from  what  you  have  shown  me  about  weak  points  or  undesirable 
ones  in  hogs  than  I  ever  knew  before,  and  I  thank  you,  and  I 
now  know  I  was  not  entitled  to  higher  honors." 

72 


JUDGING  AT  SHOWS  73 

Tricks  by  Exhibitors. — A  judge  in  a  hot  ring  has  many  little 
annoyances;  for  instance,  there  is  the  showman  (and  it  is  his 
right)  who  brings  in  an  animal  that  possibly  drops  a  little  in  the 
back,  with  possibly  an  inclination  to  sag  too  much,  and  while  the 
judge  is  trying  to  find  this  out,  the  showman  is  continually  bump- 
ing the  animal  on  the  nose  to  keep  its  head  down  and  its  back  up. 
It  is  also  amusing  often  to  find  an  exhibitor  who  is  continually 
squatting  beside  or  in  front  of  his  animal  and  patting  it,  trying 
to  attract  the  attention  of  the  judge  to  certain  points  that  he 
thinks  might  be  overlooked.  Let  me  say  to  this  kind  of  exhibitor 
that  the  judge  will  find  all  the  good  points  quickly;  what  the 
judge  is  looking  for  is  the  weak  ones,  and  if  he  knows  his  business 
he  will  find  them. 

Really  the  best  showmen,  who  are  not  only  good  winners 
but  good  losers,  say  very  little  to  the  judge  unless  asked  a  ques- 
tion, and  this  id  as  it  should  be,  for  the  judge  knows  that  the 
whole  responsibility  is  on  his  shoulders  and  he  is  willing  to  take 
this  responsibility  without,  rather  than  with,  the  advice  of  the 
owner  or  showman. 

I  always  like  to  have  the  animal  that  I  am  judging  walk  off 
naturally  and  without  an  attendant.  I  think  this  quite  import- 
ant, as  it  will  many  times  show  up  defects  that  an  expert  showman 
will  completely  hide  from  the  judge  if  the  showman  is  allowed 
to  show  that  animal  all  the  time.  With  this  idea  in  mind,  I  in- 
variably stand  where  I  can  see  the  animals  come  into  the  ring 
from  their  pens. 

If  you  are  fortunate  enough  while  showing  to  win  the  blue  or 
purple  let  that  joy  be  confined  in  your  heart;  if  you  are  so  un- 
fortunate as  to  lose  let  that  disappointment  also  be  confined  in 
your  heart  and  try  to  appear  a  good  loser.  It  really  requires  a 
''good  sport "  to  be  a  good  showman,  and  especially  to  be  a  good 
loser.  The  judge  canuot  in  his  decisions  consider  the  desires  or 
hopes  of  the  exhibitor,  but;  must  at  all  times  make  the  awards 
according  to  his  judgement  and  not  be  influenced  by  the  ringside. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

SHIPPING  CRATES 

Shipping  crates  are  probably  sent  out  in  a  greater  variety 
than  almost  any  other  article  used  in  the  swine  breeding  business. 
It  is  not  always  the  fault  of  the  shipper  that  he  cannot  send  a 
better  crate  or  a  nicer  looking  one,  from  the  fact  that  crate 
material  in  many  states  is  almost  impossible  to  be  had.  At  least 
this  is  the  case  in  our  vicinity.  We  have  no  hardwood  lumber 
for  sale  in  our  county,  neither  do  we  have  any  old  fashioned  white 
pine.  We  do  have  southern  pine  that  is  so  full  of  sap  and  knots 
that  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to  use  it,  and  if  it  is  used  it  makes  an 
extremely  heavy  crate. 

Probably  the  best  lumber  from  which  to  make  shipping  crates 
is  poplar  if  it  can  be  procured,  being  both  light  and  strong. 
Following  this  comes  a  straight  grained  elm,  used  principally 
in  a  half  inch  thickness,  with  exceptions  of  bottoms  and  corners. 

The  matter  of  crating  hogs,  where  there  are  many  to  ship, 
is  an  item  of  bother  and  labor,  which  many  times  can  be  lightened. 
We  have  a  scale  of  sizes  for  crates.  When  we  build  we  make  a 
side;  then  lay  another  side  on  top  and  build  all  the  sides  first. 
Then  make  all  the  bottoms,  then  the  tops.  If  crowded  for  room, 
one  can  build  twenty  crates  in  this  way  and  leave  them  knocked 
down  and  put  them  together  when  needed.  When  in  this  form  a 
crate  can  be  put  together  in  five  minutes.  Always  have  a  few  of 
each  size  on  hand  for  immediate  use  when  they  are  wanted.  It 
is  good  rainy-day  work.  The  average  crate  is  made  too  low 
for  comfort;  a  crate  should  be  high  enough  to  allow  a  hog  to  sit 
on  his  hind  quarters  and  stand  in,  front,  which  raises  his  head 
some  higher  than  when  he  stands  on  all  four  quarters.  Here  is 
a  table  of  measurements  for  different-sized  crates  which  will  answer 
the  purpose  in  shipping  different  sized  pigs  or  hogs : 

Length  Height  Width 

3'  28"  14" 

3'  6"  30"  18" 

4'  30"  20" 

4'  6"  32"  22" 

5'  34"  22" 

6'  36"  24" 

Bottoms  are  made  by  using  strips  one  inch  thick  and  one  and 
one-half  inches  wide.  Lay  them  down  the  length  of  the  crate 
and  build  the  floor  on  them  crossways.  The  sides  are  fastened  by 
nailing  to  the  under  strip,  which  is  flush  with  the  floor.  All 
standards  are  on  the  outside  of  crate  to  prevent  the  strips 
being  pushed  off  if  the  animal  presses  against  the  side  of  the 

74 


SHIPPING  CRATES  75 

crate.  Tops  are  made  lengthwise  with  cross  piece  at  front,  middle, 
and  one  inch  from  back,  so  tail  boards  can  be  put  in  up  and  down; 
these  are  less  liable  to  rub  tail  than  when  a  hog  is  nailed  in  with 
strips  across  the  crate  as  in  front.  Crates  four  and  one-half 
feet  long,  and  longer,  should  have  center  standards  to  strengthen 
the  crate.  Bred  sows  should  have  good  roomy  crates,  especially 
in  width. 

Kinds  of  Timber  Used. — I  believe  that  linden — sometimes 
called  basswood — makes  even  a  better  crate  than  elm  or  poplar,  but 
this  is  also  hard  to  be  found  and  as  high  in  price  as  clear  cork 
pine,  so  that  one  is  almost  compelled  to  use  such  material  as  can 
be  found  in  his  own  vicinity.  "We  have  used  a  little  half-inch 
beechwood  for  the  sides  of  crates  for  light  pigs,  which  is  fairly 
satisfactory  but  inclined  to  split  when  driving  nails  in  it,  unless 
previously  softened  by  placing  the  ends  in  water.  We  once  bought 
a  dozen  or  so  of  the  nicest  shipping  crates  that  it  is  possible  to  im- 
agine, made  of  electric  welded  woven  wire  sides,  end  and  top, 
so  hinged  and  locked  together  that  they  made  an  ideal  crate  which 
could  be  quickly  knocked  down  and  returned  in  a  collapsed  form 
to  the  shipper.  A  plainly  printed,  substantial  tag  was  fastened 
on  each  crate  giving  directions  to  the  receiver  of  the  animal  to 
please  knock  clown  and  return.  This  was  usually  done,  but  oc- 
casionally a  man  receiving  it  would  either  forget  to  return  the 
crate  or  imagine  that  it  belonged  to  him,  and  in  this  way  the 
original  number  purchased  by  us,  after  a  year  or  two,  were 
all  lost  by  not  being  returned.  We  decided,  however,  to  try  them 
again  and  ordered  a  new  lot,  only  to  find  that  the  party  making 
them  had  gone  out  of  business  and  he  replied  that  he  was  unable 
to  make  any  more.  If  his  patent  could  be  secured  by  some  enter- 
prising company  and  the  crates  made  in  large  numbers,  I  think 
they  would  prove  very  profitable  to  the  manufacturer,  as  they 
are  the  most  satisfactory  shipping  crates  that  can  be  conceived 
of  for  hogs  of  all  ages. 

There  should  be  a  manufacturing  company  somewhere  that 
would  get  together  all  these  conveniences  for  the  equipment  of 
swine  breeding  farms. 

Preparing  a  Pig  for  Shipment. — Some  men  think  that  when  a 
pig  is  to  be  shipped  some  distance  he  must  be  stuffed  with  an 
unusually  large  feed  the  morning  he  is  to  leave.  This  is  a  mis- 
take. We  had  rather  the  pig  would  not  be  fed  the  morning  he  is 
to  be  shipped,  as  he  will  ship  better  and  arrive  at  destination 
in  better  condition  without  his  morning  feed,  unless  it  is  a  dis- 
tance that  will  require  more  than  two  days.  This  may  seem  strange 
to  a  beginner  but  an  old  breeder  generally  prefers  to  ship  his 
pigs  on  an  empty  stomach.  Particularly  is  this  true  when  pigs 
are  shipped  during  the  hot  months,  as  they  will  ship  cooler  by 
simply  having  what  water  they  will  drink  and  no  feed. 

It  is  well  to  brush  the  pig  and  make  him  thoroughly  clean  be- 
fore he  is  crated;  then  he  should  be  sprayed  with  a  disinfectant 


76  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

giving  him  a  nice  clean  finish.  A  little  dry  clean  bedding  of 
some  kind  should  be  placed  in  the  crate.  If  the  pig  is  going  a  dis- 
tance that  will  require  four  or  five  days  to  make  the  trip,  then 
it  is  best  to  put  a  little  feed  in  a  small  sack  and  tie  it  to  the  crate 
with  instructions  to  feed  a  very  little  once  daily.  A  five-cent  tin 
basin  wired  in  one  corner  of  the  crate  on  the  floor  will  serve  as  a 
place  to  water  and  give  a  little  feed  if  it  is  necessary.  A  notice 
should  be  placed  on  the  crate,  if  it  is  during  the  summer  months — 
"See  that  the  crate  is  kept  near  an  open  door  in  the  car,  facing 
the  way  the  train  is  going,  that  the  pig  may  get  the  benefit  of  the 
breeze. "  Should  the  pig  become  over-heated  it  should  have  at- 
tention at  once,  and  instructions  should  be  given  the  route  agent 
to  sprinkle  the  pig's  nose  with  a  little  water  and  put  some  water 
on  the  floor  of  his  crate  so  as  to  wet  the  pig  underneath,  but 
under  no  consideration  should  cold  water  be  thrown  on  the  body 
of  the  pig  when  over-heated,  as  it  means  almost  certain  death. 

The  Pig  on  Arrival. — On  receiving  a  pig  that  has  been  shipped 
a  long  distance,  do  not  expect  to  see  him,  come  out  the  crate 
looking  as  if  he  were  just  from  a  bandbox,  for  naturally  he  will 
be  gaunt,  somewhat  dirty  and  probably  quite  tired.  Brush  him 
off  nicely,  put  him  in  a  place  by  himself  and  give  him  a  drink 
of  fresh  water,  after  which  give  him  a  light  feed,  only  a  little  at 
first,  until  he  is  rested,  or  until  the  next  feeding  time  comes,  when 
you  may  give  him  a  little  more  feed  than  at  the  first  time;  thus 
you  will  gradually  bring  him  up  to  his  full  feed. 

Notice,  on  receiving  the  pig,  if  he  seems  constipated;  if  so 
give  him  2  tablespoonfuls  of  Epsom  salts  in  his  feed  and  let  him 
take  a  little  exercise  where  there  is  some  grass. 

It  is  a  good  thing  when  ordering  a  pig  from  a  breeder,  to  ask 
how  the  pig  has  been  fed,  and  if  you  can  do  so,  continue  about 
the  same  ration  he  has  been  getting.  If  you  wish  to  change  to 
a  different  system  of  feeding,  do  so  very  gradually  and  you  will 
not  be  disappointed.  If  you  should  overfeed  the  pig  on  the  start, 
everything  will  go  wrong,  and  you  will  be  much  disappointed  later. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

WHAT  A  BREEDER  OF  FULL  BREDS 
SHOULD  BE 

Probably  there  is  no  business  that  requires  character  and  in- 
telligence in  a  man,  to  a  greater  degree,  than  the  breeding  of 
pure-bred  stock  of  any  kind.  First,  the  young  man  when  starting 
should  know  that  he  likes  the  business,  and  has  made  up  his  mind 
to  follow  it  as  a  permanent  business  and  to  stick  to  it  through 
thick  and  thin.  This  matter  of  stick-to-it-ive-ness  is  one  of  the 
principle  elements  a  man  should  have.  Next,  he  should  be  a  man 
whose  character  is  above  reproach  and  absolutely  honest.  With 
these  elements  and  a  determination  to  succeed,  he  can  build  up  a 
life  business  that  is  gratifying  in  every  way. 

Then,  he  must  select  as  good  animals  as  possible  to  found 
his  herd;  he  must  cull  a  goodly  proportion  from  the  produce  each 
year  to  sell  as  pork  hogs,  selling  nothing  but  the  better  animals 
for  breeding  purposes.  He  must  keep  careful  records  of  his  breed- 
ing ;  he  must  be  prompt  in  answering  inquiries ;  he  must  be  truth- 
ful and  reliable  in  every  way,  so  that  the  purchaser  may  know 
when  he  receives  the  pedigree  of  a  pure-bred  animal  that  it  is  ab- 
solutely correct.  Much,  in  fact,  depends  on  the  correctness  of  the 
pedigree,  and  that  is  dependent  on  the  man  who  writes  it,  for  this 
reason  he  must  be  dependable  in  every  respect.  A  man  who  is  not 
dependable  cannot  build  up  a  permanent  business. 

The  policy  of  the  pure-bred  stock  breeder  should  be  always 
to  satisfy  his  customer,  if  possible. 


77 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
PEDIGREES 

This  is  a  matter  that  does  not  greatly  interest  the  farmer  or 
feeder  who  is  growing  hogs  simply  for  the  open  market,  but  must 
be  understood,  and  thoroughly  so,  by  the  breeder  of  registered  hogs 
who  expects  to  sell  a  large  portion  of  his  produce,  to  other  breeders. 
A  pedigree  amounts  to  nothing  unless  it  is  a  correct  record  of  the 
different  blood  lines  in  the  sire,  and  dam  taken  from  the  established 
records  for  the  breed.  The  pedigree  in  itself  adds  no  value  to  the 
individuality  of  the  animal  but  it  is  a  means  of  noting  the  various 
blood  lines  that  has  produced  the  animal.  Neither  is  a  pedigree 
of  any  value  unless  it  is  made  by  a  man  who  would  under  no  cir- 
cumstance write  in  other  than  the  correct  names  of  animals,  with 
their  herd  book  numbers.  A  man  who  would  make  a  false  pedi- 
gree would  do  anything  else  false  that  came  to  his  mind  and  should 
not  last  long  as  a  breeder  of  pure-bred  hogs  of  any  breed.  In 
other  words  the  pedigree  should  be  a  guarantee  that  only  such 
animals  were  used  in  producing  the  particular  individual  as  really 
were  used. 

Study  Blood  Lines. — One  who  is  well  versed  in  the  principles  of 
breeding  pure-bred  animals,  and  familiar  with  the  value  of  the 
different  blood  lines  of  the  breed,  can  by  studying  the  pedigree  of 
the  animal  he  purchases  to  head  his  herd,  know  practically  what 
the  results  will  be  from  using  him.  The  more  animals  that  ap- 
pear in  the  pedigree  that  have  made  good  as  producers  of  superior 
stock,  the  better  the  pedigree,  and  the  more  valuable  it  becomes 
as  a  guarantee  for  future  quality  in  the  herd ;  hence  it  is  of  great 
importance  that  the  owner  of  a  high  class  breeding  herd,  who 
wishes  to  continually  improve  the  quality  of  his  herd,  study  care- 
fully the  pedigree  of  any  new  animal  that  he  wishes  to  introduce 
as  the  head  of  his  herd.  It  is  a  well  known  fact,  however,  that 
there  are  few  outstanding  sires  that  are  worthy  of  special  note 
in  any  breed  of  pure-bred  hogs,  and  buyers  of  boars,  when  they 
order  a  boar  for  use,  should  not  expect  him  to  be  "one  in  a 
thousand,"  unless  he  has  investigated  the  animal's  get  and  has 
proof  of  the  fact  that  he  is  "one  in  a  thousand,"  and  if  such  a  boar 
is  found  he,  the  buyer,  must  expect  to  pay  a  very  large  price  to 
secure  him,  for  the  owner  can  ill  afford  to  part  with  this  kind. 

Correspondence. — The  breeder  of  pure-bred  hogs,  after  he  is 
established,  will  have  a  large  amount  of  daily  correspondence  to 
look  after.  He  should  make  a  rule  to  be  prompt  in  his  replies, 
answering  all  questions  carefully,  describing  the  animal  he  offers 
so  that  the  man  will  not  be  disappointed,  should  be  order.  He 
should  keep  a  carbon  copy  of  each  letter  written.  He  should  always 
keep  a  letter  file  of  some  kind,  whereby  he  can  keep  each  man's 

78 


PEDIGREES 


79 


correspondence  by  itself.  I  think  we  have  every  letter  received 
in  thirty  years,  and  pasted  to  it  is  a  carbon  copy  of  the  reply.  A 
card  system  should  be  -kept  with  the  name  of  each  and  every  cor- 
respondent you  do  business  with,  and  a  follow-up  card  system 
would  be  well,  as  a  follow-up  letter  often  results  in  getting  an 
order  that  would  be  overlooked  otherwise.. 

Every  breeder  should  procure  a  typewriter  and  learn  to  use 
it,  and  write  all  letters  on  this  machine.  It  is  rather  hard  for 
some  men  to  write  a  nice  hand  with  a  pen,  and  there  are  often 
some  words  in  the  letter  that  are  not  plainly  written  and  that  puz- 
zle the  one  receiving  it;  besides,  when  writing  a  letter  on  the 
machine  the  copy  can  be  made  at  the  same  time  and  filed  with 
the  original  letter. 

System. — System  is  a  great  thing,  even  in  the  hog  business. 
Systematic  methods  of  keeping  all  records,  filing  all  letters,  keeping 
the  cards,  the  breeding  records,  the  feeding  records,  and  everything 
connected  with  the  business,  is  most  important. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
ADVERTISING 

This  chapter  is  written  for  the  benefit  of  breeders  who  are  sell- 
ing pedigreed  stock  for  breeding  purposes,  and  I  want  them  to  con- 
sider the  matter  of  advertising  one  of  the  most  important  parts  of 
the  business.  First  is  the  breeding  of  the  right  kind  of  hogs  to  fur- 
nish breeders.  The  next  thing  is  the  proper  care  of  them  until  they 
are  ready  to  ship  to  the  breeders.  Then  comes  advertising,  which 
is  as  important  as  anything  else,  for  without  advertising  of  some 
kind  there  will  be  little  or  no  business. 

I  have  mentioned  in  a  previous  chapter,  that  the  matter  of  at- 
tending the  county  fair  circuits  and  showing  was  one  way  to  com- 
mence a  good  line  of  advertising,  and  after  a  little  experience  at 
county  fairs,  to  take  a  step  a  little  further  up,  and  show  at  the 
state  fairs  and  large  expositions,  or  in  other  words  increase  the 
show  ring  practice  as  you  increase  your  knowledge  of  the  business, 
and  ability  to  bring  out  the  right  qualities  in  animals.  This  show 
ring  experience  and  mingling  with  hundreds  of  farmers  and  others, 
is  a  good  way  to  start  a  permanent  acquaintance,  and  establish  the 
business,  and  the  orders  taken  while  at  the  county  shows  should  be 
almost  enough  to  dispose  of  the  surplus  for  the  first  year  or  two, 
and  when  later  the  larger  shows  are  made  the  sales  should  increase 
accordingly. 

The  young  breeder  should  at  these  shows  keep  a  list  of  the 
names  of  all  men  with  whom  he  becomes  acquainted  and  who  are 
interested  in  his  breed,  as  well  as  a  list  of  the  men  to  whom  he 
sold  pigs. 

Persistence  in  Journals. — Besides  the  advertising  made  at  the 
shows,  the  breeder  should  be  a  liberal  advertiser,  not  only  with  his 
breed  organ  but  with  other  leading  reliable  publications  that  go 
to  the  homes  of  the  better  farmers  and  breeders.  While  speaking 
along  the  lines  of  advertising  I  wish  to  impress  upon  the  mind  of 
the  breeder  the  necessity  of  his  advertisements  being  permanent  or 
continuous,  not  spasmodic.  What  is  more  assuring  to  a  prospective 
purchaser  than  when  looking  through  his  various  swine  and  live 
stock  publications  to  find  the  name  of  some  advertiser  of  his  favor- 
ite breed,  whose  advertisement  always  appears  in  each  weekly  or 
monthly  issue  of  his  paper  ?  This  goes  to  show  that  the  one  who  ad- 
vertises this  way  is  a  permanent  and  constructive  breeder,  but  if 
you  find  the  advertisement  of  a  breeder  of  your  breed,  who  comes 
out  with  considerable  gush  once  or  twice  in  some  publication  and 
then  drops  put,  you  are  not  inclined  to  send  such  an  advertiser  an 
order,  and  you  may  conclude  that  as  he  had  dropped  out  his  adver- 
tising, he  may  also  have  dropped  out  of  the  business.  These  are 

80 


ADVERTISING  81 

matters  that  I  know  from  absolute  experience  in  many,  many  years 
of  continuous  advertising.  We  have  never  carried  but  one  or  two 
advertisements  at  one  time,  but  for  over  thirty  years  our  advertise- 
ments has  never  failed  to  appear  continuously.  While  possibly  not 
needing  this  advertising  some  times  to  help  dispose  of  our  stock, 
we  believe  that  as  there  are  many  new  men  entering  the  arena 
as  breeders,  as  well  as  fanners  and  feeders,  it  is  the  profitable 
thing  for  us  to  keep  permanently  and  continuously  before  the 
people,  and  so  we  continue  to  advertise  even  after  many,  many 
years. 

We  often  receive  letters  from  parties,  who  say:  "I  have  seen 
your  ad.  for  many  years,  etc.,"  which  shows  they  understand  we 
have  been  in  business  a  long  time,  from  the  fact  that  we  are  con- 
tinuously appearing  before  the  readers  of  good  publications. 

Herd  Catalogs. — Another  good  advertising  plan  is  occasion- 
ally mailing  out  either  a  herd  catalog  or  a  neat  folder,  giving  a 
little  history  of  the  herd  and  the  business  done,  also  listing  the 
names  and  numbers  of  the  brood  sows  and  herd  boars,  and  a  list 
of  the  litters  farrowed  that  season.  Some  breeders  also  believe  in 
publishing  once  or  twice  a  year,  a  circular  describing  certain  ani- 
mals and  their  breeding,  which  they  are  offering  for  sale  at  that 
time.  This  is  a  good  plan. 

Another  matter  that  is  quite  important  is  the  necessity  of  using 
a  typewriter,  and  learning  to  use  it  properly,  and  never  to  fail  to 
answer  correspondence  promptly  and  in  an  intelligent  manner. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  use  all  the  adjectives  that  one  can  scrape  to- 
gether in  describing  what  he  has  to  offer  the  inquirer;  better  be  a 
little  modest  along  this  line>,  simply  stating  the  breeding  and  a 
true  description  of  what  you  have  to  sell,  with  the  price. 

Stationery. — The  style  and  quality  of  stationery  one  uses  is 
also  one  of  the  things  that  makes  an  impression  on  the  inquirer.  A 
neat,  plain  letterhead,  with  as  little  printing  on  it  as  possible,  and 
paper  of  a  good  quality,  speaks  well  for  the  breeder  and  impresses 
his  correspondent  with  the  belief  that  this  man  is  not  making  any 
extra  flourishes.  A  good  judge  of  human  nature  can  quite  readily 
determine  something  as  to  the  character  of  a  man  by  his  stationery, 
and  still  more  by  the  letter  he  writes.  We  have  never  found  it 
necessary  in  our  business  to  cover  very  much  paper  in  replying  to 
a  letter.  However,  we  often  receive  letters  that  contain  quite  a 
number  of  pages,  which  after  reading  and  trying  to  digest,  it  is 
hard  to  really  know  just  what  the  man  wants,  further  than  that  he 
seems  to  want  an  animal  that  will  score  upwards  to  100  points,  and 
then  wants  it  for  an  extremely  low  price,  with  all  the  guarantees 
he  can  think  of,  added. 

There  is  another  matter  that  is  quite  important  in  the  way  of 
advertising;  always  have  your  home  grounds,  hog  quarters  and 
other  parts  of  the  equipment  of  the  hog  establishment,  as  well  as 


82 


FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A  PRACTICAL   HOG  MAN 


the  hogs  themselves,  in  shipshape  for  visitors.  Do  not  feel  obliged 
when  a  man  suddenly  appears  on  your  farm  to  inspect  your  herd, 
to  commence  apologizing  for  the  condition  of  things  in  general.  Al- 
ways have  them  so  that  a  good  impression  may  be  made  on  the  mind 
of  a  visitor,  for  he  is  taking  all  things  in  as  he  passes  down  the  line, 
and  you  certainly  wish  to  make  a  good  and  not  a  bad  impression. 

First  impressions  are  lasting  and  these  should  be  as  favorable 
as  one  can  offer. 

When  writing  advertisements  one  should  try  and  be  as  concise 
as  possible,  and  not  say  too  much,  but  say  it  in  a  way  that  will  at- 
tract the  attention  of  the  reader.  The  writing  of  advertisements 
is  an  art. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
HOME-CURED  PORK 

I  have  often  wondered  why  more  farmers  who  grow  pork  for 
the  market,  do  not  take  up  the  business  of  a  farm  packing  plant 
on  a  small  scale.  I  am  sure  pigs  and  hogs  of  different  weights 
could  be  slaughtered  on  the  farm;  the  products  cured  in  the  good 
old  home  way,  and  sold  to  local  stores  or  markets  for  better  prices 
and  better  profits  than  could  be  received  for  live  weight.  I  feel 
certain  that  a  farmer  who  would  prepare  for  this  work  could  profit- 
ably market  a  high  class  article  of  all  pork  sausage — something  that 
cannot  be  found  in  a  butcher  shop.  He  should  take  great  pains  to 
make  this  as  perfect  as  possible,  just  as  he  would  make  it  for  his  own 
family.  Put  it  up  in  attractive  packages  of  one,  two  or  five  pounds 
each,  and  furnish  one  or  more  of  the  best  groceries  in  the  nearby 
city.  Or  the  farmer  could  send  out  small  sample  packages  to  the 
better  class  of  citizens  in  the  city  and  he  soon  would  build  up  a 
retail  trade  that  would  astonish  him,  and  at  prices  much  above 
anything  sold  by  the  butchers. 

Further  than  this,  the  hams  could  be  home-cured  in  a  sweet 
pickle  or  mild  cure  and  smoked  as  they  should  be,  slightly,  rather 
than  be  cured  "while  you  wait"  with  chemicals,  and  smoked  with 
creosote  dressing.  There  is  no  more  delicate  morsel  than  a  farm- 
cured  ham  from  a  young  pig  of  about  200  pounds.  There  is  a  great 
demand  for  such  hams  during  the  winter  season,  without  any  smok- 
ing whatever.  I  personally  like  this  kind  of  curing  better  than 
when  smoked,  but  hams  cured  in  this  manner  would  not  keep  dur- 
ing the  long  summer  months.  The  older  hog,  with  the  exception  of 
the  spare  ribs,  should  be  made  into  sausage.  There  would  be  little 
fat  pork  in  light  young  hogs,  but  older  ones  could  be  finished  for 
this  purpose  from  which  extra  fine  fat  pork  could  be  furnished,  as 
well  as  a  very  choice  quality  of  home  made  lard.  Pickled  pigs' 
feet,  head-cheese  and  souse  could  be  easily  introduced  to  the  fancy 
trade. 

The  main  thing  is  in  starting  this  business  and  going  at  it  with 
the  determination  to  build  up  a  business.  I  believe  a  farmer  could 
hardly  raise  enough  hogs  and  pigs  in  a  year  to  supply  the  demand 
for  the  fancy  pork  products  that  he  could  put  up,  as  the  consump- 
tion of  pork  products  is  constantly  increasing  from  year  to  year. 
We  must  remember  that  every  morning  there  are  over  three  thous- 
and new  mouths  to  feed  in  America,  and  practically  every  one  of 
them  to  eat  the  product  of  the  American  hog  and  enjoy  it.  Meat 
production  increases  wealth,  and  the  grain  products  of  the  farm 
can  all  be  utilized  in  the  production  of  high-class  pork.  We  have 
no  animal  of  greater  economic  value  than  the  pig;  he  matures 
quickly  and  brings  ready  returns.  If  there  was  no  money  in  pork 

83 


84  FORTY   YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OP  A   PRACTICAL   HOG   MAN 

the  farmers  of  the  west  would  not  grow  eighty-five  million  dollars 
worth  each  year,  to  supply  foreign  nations,  besides  keeping  enough 
at  home  to  supply  the  demand  of  our  own  people. 

Boneless  Pigs'  Feet. — Cut  the  feet  off  with  a  sharp  knife  and 
a  little  saw,  well  above  the  ankle  joint;  wash  in  hot  water  and 
scrape  thoroughly  and  clean.  Lay  them  in  salt  water  over  night  to 
remove  all  blood.  Put  on  to  cook  with  enough  slightly  salted  cold 
water  to  cover,  and  cook  from  three  to  five  hours,  until  the  bones 
loosen.  Place  the  meat  in  a  chopping  bowl  and  chop  medium  fine. 
Strain  the  liquor  in  the  pot  in  which  the  feet  were  boiled  and  season 
it  with  vinegar  and  pepper  to  taste.  Then  add  the  meat  and  cover 
with  this  juice  to  which  should  be  added  more  hot  water,  as  it  will 
bear  diluting.  When  cold  turn  out  of  the  bowl  and  cut  down  in 
slices  half  an  inch  thick. 

Pigs'  Feet  Souse. — Cut  off  the  horny  part  of  the  feet  and  toes; 
scrape  clean  and  wash  thoroughly ;  singe  off  any  stray  hairs.  Place 
in  a  kettle  with  plenty  of  water,  boil  and  skin.  Pour  off  the  water 
and  add  fresh,  and  boil  again  until  the  bones  will  pull  out  easily, 
but  do  not  pull  them  out.  Pack  in  a  stone  jar  with  pepper  and 
salt  sprinkled  between  each  layer;  cover  with  good  cider  vinegar. 
When  wanted  for  the  table  take  out  in  sufficient  quantity  and 
put  in  a  hot  skillet ;  add  more  vinegar,  salt  and  pepper  if  needed ; 
boil  until  thoroughl}'  heated;  stir  in  a  smooth  thickening  of  flour 
and  water,  and  boil  until  the  flour  is  cooked.  Serve  hot  for  a  nice 
breakfast  dish. 

Head  Cheese. — Having  thoroughly  cleaned  the  pig  or  hog 
head,  split  it  in  two ;  take  out  the  eyes  and  the  brains ;  thoroughly 
clean  the  ears;  throw  scalding  water  over  the  head  and  ears  and 
then  scrape  absolutely  clean.  When  perfectly  clean  put  in  a 
kettle,  with  water  to  cover,  and  set  over  a  quick  fire,  skimming 
as  any  scum  arises.  When  boiled  so  the  flesh  leaves  the  bone, 
take  the  head  from  the  water  with  a  skimmer,  and  place  in  a 
large  wooden  bowl  or  tray;  then  take  out  every  particle  of  bone, 
chop  the  meat  fine,  season  to  taste  with  salt  and  pepper — a  little 
powdered  sage  may  be  added — spread  a  cloth  over  the  colander, 
put  the  meat  in,  fold  the  cloth  closely  over  it,  lay  weight  on  it 
so  that  it  will  press  every  part  of  the  surface  equally.  When  cold 
take  the  weight  off;  remove  from  the  colander  and  place  in  a 
crock.  Some  add  vinegar  in  the  proportion  of  one  pint  to  each 
gallon  crock. 

Fried  Salt  Pork. — Cut  in  rather  thin  slices,  freshen  by  letting 
stand  an  hour  or  two  in  cold  water  or  milk  and  water.  Roll  in 
flour  and  fry  until  crisp.  Drain  off  most  of  the  grease  from  fry- 
ing pan.  Stir  in,  while  hot,  one  or  two  tablespoons  of  flour,  half 
a  pint  new  milk,  a  little  pepper  and  salt,  if  necessary.  Let  boil 
and  pour  into  gravy  dish.  This  makes  a  nice  white  gravy  when 
properly  made. 


HOME-CURED  PORK  85 

Baked  Ham. — Most  persons  boil  ham.  It  is  much  better  baked, 
if  baked  right.  Soak  the  whole  ham  for  an  hour  in  clear  water 
and  wipe  it  dry.  Next  spread  it  all  over  with  thin  batter,  and 
put  into  as  deep  dish  with  sticks  under  it  to  keep  it  up  out  of 
the  gravy.  When  it  is  fully  done  take  off  the  skin  and  batter 
crusted  upon  the  flesh  side  and  set  away  to  cool.  It  should  bake 
from  six  to  eight  hours.  After  removing  the  skin,  sprinkle  over 
the  ham  two  tablespoons  of  sugar,  some  black  pepper  and  rolled 
crackers.  Put  in  a  pan  and  return  to  oven  to  brown.  Then 
stick  cloves  to  the  fat  portion  and  dust  with  powdered  cinnamon. 

Boiled  Ham. — Pour  boiling  water  over  the  ham,  and  let  it 
stand  until  cool  enough  to  wash.  Scrape  clean;  put  in  a  thor- 
oughly cleansed  boiler  with  enough  could  water  to  cover  it;  bring 
this  to  the  boiling  point  and  then  place  on  the  back  of  the  stove 
and  let  simmer  steadily  for  from  six  to  seven  hours  or  until  very 
tender  when  pierced  with  a  fork — be  careful  to  keep  the  water 
at  boiling  point  but  do  not  allow  to  go  much  above.  Turn  the 
ham  once  or  twice  while  in  the  water.  When  done  put  in  bak- 
ing dish  to  skin.  Dip  the  hands  in  cold  water  and  take  the  skin 
between  the  fingers  and  peel  it  as  you  would  an  orange.  Set  in 
a  moderate  oven  placing  the  lean  part  of  the  ham  downward. 
Sift  over  it  rolled  crackers  and  bake  one  hour.  Or  cover  with 
the  white  of  a  raw  egg  and  sprinkle  sugar  and  finely  pulverized 
bread  crumbs  over  it.  Place  in  the  oven  and  brown.  The  baking 
brings  out  a  quantity  of  fat  leaving  the  meat  much  more  delicate ; 
in  warm  weather  it  will  keep  in  a  dry,  cool  place  for  a  long 
time. 

Boneless  Boiled  Ham. — Soak  a  well  cured  ham  in  tepid  water 
over  night,  boil  it  until  perfectly  tender,  putting  it  on  in  warm 
water.  Take  up  in  a  wooden  tray  and  let  cool.  Remove  the 
bone  carefully,  press  the  ham  again  into  shape  and  return  to  the 
boiling  liquor.  Remove  pot  from  fire  and  let  ham  remain  until 
cold.  Cut  cross  wise  and  serve  cold. 

Delicious  Fried  Ham  With  Eggs. — Slice  ham  and  place  in  boil- 
ing water  and  cook  until  tender.  Put  in  frying  pan  and  brown; 
then  place  on  platter.  Fry  some  eggs  by  dipping  gravy  over  their 
until  done  instead  of  turning  them.  Take  up  carefully  and  lay 
on  slices  of  ham. 

Ham  and  Egg  Lunch  Loaf. — Chop  remnants  of  cold  boiled 
ham;  add  crushed  crackers  and  from  three  to  six  eggs,  according 
to  the  amount  of  meat.  Bake  in  a  round  baking  powder  can 
and  when  cold  it  may  be  sliced  for  the  table. 

Ham  Balls. — Take  half  a  cup  of  bread  crumbs  and  mix  with 
two  eggs  well  beaten.  Chop  fine  some  bits  of  cold  boiled  ham  and 
mix  all  together.  Make  into  balls  and  fry. 

To  Cook  Pickled  Side  Meat. — Cut  in  slices  to  fry;  parboil  to 
freshen.  Roll  in  flour  and  fry  until  cooked  through. 


86  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

Home-Made  Sausage. — It  is  the  writer's  job  to  make  the  Berk- 
shire sausage  at  Love  joy  Farm  and  in  doing  this  I  take  much  of 
the  choice  meat  that  might  be  used  for  other  purposes,  often  using 
the  entire  shoulder  of  the  hog  as  well  as  all  trimmings  from  the 
ham,  sides,  etc.,  using  about  equal  proportions  of  the  fat  meat  and 
lean,  although  sometimes  making  sausage  largely  all  lean  meat, 
yet  I  do  not  think  this  gives  as  good  or  as  tender,  well  flavored 
sausage  as  where  the  fat  and  lean  are  of  about  equal  proportions. 
We  often  use.  the  tenderloin  strips  also  in  the  sausage  meat  yet  this 
is  almost  too  delicious  a  dish,  when  fried  by  itself,  to  be  given 
up  by  placing  it  in  the  sausage.  After  all  meat  is  prepared  for 
sausage  it  is  run  through  a  grinding  chopper  and  made  very  fine. 
We  also  pulverize  sage  through  this  same  meat  grinder,  then 
flavor  the  meat  with  salt,  pepper  and  sage  to  taste.  Dsuring  cold 
weather  it  is  kept  in  large  crocks  and  cooked  as  needed.  Where 
large  quantities  are  made  to  be  kept  through  the  summer,  it  is 
cooked  and  placed  in  muslin  sacks  of  about  twelve  inches  in  length 
and  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter,  which  are  then  dipped  in 
hot  lard  until  the  cloth  is  well  filled  with  the  lard,  then  taken 
out  and  placed  in  a  cool,  dark  cellar  to  be  used  as  desired. 

Curing  Thick  White  Fat  Pork. — Where  one  wishes  to  put  up 
the  very  thick  fat  pork  for  home  use,  he  may  cure  this  by  what 
is  known  as  dry  salting.  Take  a  large  earthen  jar,  large  enough  to 
hold  all  one  wishes  to  pack,  put  a  layer  of  salt  in  the  bottom 
of  the  jar,  then  pack  the  square  cut  pieces  of  pork  snugly  together 
and  fill  all  spaces  with  salt,  and  a  light  covering  over  the  top, 
then  another  layer  of  fat  meat  as  before  and  continue  this  until 
all  is  packed  and  thickly  covered  over  the  top  with  'salt.  Set 
this  in  a  cool  place  where  rats  or  mice  cannot  get  to  it,  and  let 
it  remain,  using  from  it  whenever  the  real  fat  pork  is  needed. 

Home-Made  Lard. — It  is  best  for  the  farmer  to  make  his  own 
lard  when  possible  for  the  simple  reason  that  it  is  cheaper  than 
to  sell  his  hogs  on  the  market  and  then  purchase  lard;  besides, 
when  the  housewife  makes  lard  for  home  use  she  knows  what 
she  is  using.  Lard  is  almost  a  pure  oil  of  a  permanent  composi- 
tion, and  moisture  and  air  have  little  affect  on  it.  Care  should 
be  taken  to  see  that  the  lard  is  pure,  such  as  the  leaf  lard,  especially 
if  it  is  to  be  kept  for  any  length  of  time.  Stone,  jars  are  the  best 
vessels  to  keep  the  lard  in  after  being  rendered,  and  should  always 
be  kept  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

Besides  the  lard  made  from  the  leaf  lard,  there  is  much  more 
of  the  animal  fat  that  can  be  used  for  this  purpose.  All  the 
trimmings  of  fat  from  the  hams  or  shoulders,  and  all  the  gut  fat 
may  be  rendered  into  a  good  quality  of  lard.  Many  persons  who 
do  not  care  for  the  fat  pork,  or  at  least  as  much  of  it  as  is  furnished 
from  the  fat  hog  carcass,  can  use  all  that  is  not  needed  for  fat  pork 
for  the  manufacture  of  lard. 

A  Recipe  for  Curing  Hams. — Many  years  ago,  at  a  show  in 
New  York  State,  a  farmer  won  a  $100  prize  for  the  best  home- 


HOME-CURED  PORK  87 

cured  ham.    I  have  used  his  recipe  ever  since,  and  with  great  satis- 
faction. 

To  100  pounds  of  meat  use — 

8  pounds  of  clean  pulverized  rock  salt, 

3  pounds  of  brown  sugar, 

2  ounces  of  pulverized  saltpetre, 

2  ounces  of  bicarbonate  of  soda  (cooking  soda), 

4  ounces  of  red  pepper. 

After  the  hams  are  thoroughly  cooled,  rub  in  the  above  mixture 
well  and  place  them  in  a  tub  or  box  and  let  them  remain  in  this 
container  for  one  week. 

Make  a  brine  of  the  above  mixture,  which  should  be  boiled  and 
strained  through  a  cloth,  and  left  till  cold.  Then  after  brushing  the 
dry  mixture  from  the  hams,  place  them  in  a  tub  or  large  earthen 
jar  or  any  receptacle  that  is  big  enough  to  hold  them,  and  pour 
brine  over  them,  so  that  they  will  be  entirely  covered.  Place 
a  floating  cover  over  the  hams,  and  on  this  cover  a  heavy  weight  so 
as  to  hold  the  hams  under  the  brine,  and  leave  them  for  one  week, 
after  which  they  can  be  taken  out  and  smoked,  if  desired.  Should 
you  not  wish  to  smoke  these  hams,  they  can  be  left  in  this  brine  and 
used  as  needed,  until  hot  weather. 

The  bacon  and  shoulders,  back  meat  and  fat  meat  can  all  be 
cured  in  like  manner. 

This  method  of  curing  produces  a  very  delicate  and  choice 
product  and  would  be  termed  a  "mild  cure"  for  hams  and  bacons. 

The  manner  of  smoking  can  be  done  as  preferred,  but  we  use 
many  of  our  hams  without  smoking  at  all,  if  used  before  hot 
weather  comes  on. 

Such  portions  of  ham  and  shoulders  as  are  not  to  be  smoked 
may  be  left  in  the  brine  as  mentioned  heretofore  until  such  time 
as  insects  might  appear.  If  one.  wants  to  keep  the  smoked  hams 
for  any  length  of  time  they  should  be  securely  covered  with  canvas 
and  either  white  washed  or  packed  in  bran  or  oats.  The  room 
where  cured  meats  are  kept  should  be  as  cool  and  as  dark  as 
possible. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 
HOG  CHOLERA  AND  SERUM 

During  the  last  few  years  we  have  made  it  a  practice  to  keep 
the  entire  herd  immune  by  the  simultaneous  treatment.  In  the 
summer  of  1913  we  immunized  219  pigs  at  one  time,  using  the  sim- 
ultaneous treatment,  and  the  loss  was  about  two  per  cent.  This 
leads  me  to  believe  that  our  government  authorities  and  others  who 
have  been  instrumental  in  working  out  the  simultaneous  serum 
treatment,  have  in  it  the  long-sought-for  specific  treatment  for  the 
prevention  of  hog  cholera. 

I  am  convinced,  however  that  many  have  not  fully  understood 
this  method  of  hog  cholera  treatment,  and  as  I  had  been  much 
attracted  to  and  pleased  with  an  article  by  J.  L.  Thatcher,  I  re- 
quested Mr.  Thatcher  to  furnish  a  serum  article  for  this  book,  and 
take  great  pleasure  in  giving  him  full  credit  for  the  excellent 
service  he  has  rendered  swine  breeders  by  his  contribution  to  hog 
cholera  literature.  Mr.  Thatcher's  article  which  follows,  is  com- 
mended to  the  thoughtful  attention  of  every  reader  of  this  book, 
with  the -hope  that  the  serum  treatment  will  be  better  understood 
and  more  generally  followed.  I  firmly  believe  that  if  his  sug- 
gestions were  properly  carried  out  in  time  we  could  stamp  out  this 
dread  disease: 

In  accepting  the  invitation  of  the  author  of  this  book  to  write  on  hog 
cholera  and  its  prevention  by  the  serum-simultaneous  method  of  treatment, 
I  did  so  with  the  idea  that  I  could  talk  as  one  breeder  to  another,  and 
with  the  hope  that  what  may  be  said  may  lead)  to  a  more  active  and 
persistent  campaign  against  a  disease  that,  judging  by  the  results  attained 
at  lowana  Farms,  and  elsewhere  where  the  treatment  has  been  given  a 
fair  and  intelligent  trial,  can  be  prevented  and  ultimately  wiped  out. 

Apart  from  the  purely  elementary  scientific  statements  that  are  made 
in  order  to  give  a  clearer  understanding  of  the  nature  of  hog  cholera 
as  a  disease,  of  what  is  meant  by  immunity,  and  of  the  process  followed 
in  obtaining  serum,  the  statements  made  and  the  conclusions  drawn  are 
based  entirely  upon  our  work  with  registered  swine.  They  show  what 
we  have  accomplished  and  the  policy  we  have  permanently  adopted  in 
preventing  the  disease.  The  results  have  been  very  gratifying  to  us,  and 
have  enabled  us  to  prevent  the  enormous  loss  which  almost  inevitably 
follows  when  a  hog  cholera  epidemic  strikes .  a  herd.  If  our  experience, 
with  the  results  attained  and  the  conclusions  drawn,  can  be  of  benefit 
to  the  swine  breeders  of  the  country,  we  are  glad  to  make  known  what 
we  have  done,  and  to  do  our  part  towards  stamping  out  a  disease  that 
is  annually  causing  the  loss  of  tens  of  millions  of  dollars  throughout 
the  United  States. 

The  prevention  of  hog  cholera,  and  through  its  prevention  the  control 
and  ultimate  eradication  of  the  disease,  is  the  most  urgent  and  financially 
vital  problem  which  confronts  swine  breeders  and  farmers  throughout 
the  entire  country  today. 

Losses  Due  to  Disease. — Now  when  we  consider  that  fully  90  per  cent, 
of  the  hogs  that  die  from  disease  die  from  hog  cholera,  we  can  readily 
gain  some  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  losses  we  are  annually  sustaining 
through  this  disease  alone,  and  of  the  imperative  need  for  a  nation-wide 

88 


HOG  CHOLERA  AND   SERUM  89 

campaign  against  this  scourge  in  which  not  only  breeders  and  farmers, 
but  state  and  national  authorities  themselves  shall  join,  fighting  continu- 
ously and  persistenly  with  the  end  in  view  that  in,  say  ten  years,  our 
entire  country  may  be  declared  practically  cholera  free. 

The  financial  losses  sustained  through  the  loss  of  pork  hogs  alone  ia, 
however,  only  one  phase  of  the  proposition. 

The  progressive,  business  farmer  no  longer  follows  the  practice  of 
looking  for  his  annual  profits  through  the  sale  of  grain  crops.  Bather 
he  looks  for  his  gain  through  the  raising  and  sale  of  live  stock.  He  needs 
the  manure  to  maintain  the  fertility  of  his  soil,  and  he  is  appreciative 
of  the  fact  that  a  bushel  of  corn  that  sells  for  fifty  cents  on  the  market, 
will  bring  him  one  dollar  when  disposed  of  in  the  form  of  pork. 

Further  this  same  farmer  realizes,  or  is  beginning  to  realize,  the 
greater  returns  to  be  gained  from  the  breeding  and  raising  of  pure-bred 
stock,  and  he  is  constantly  endeavoring  to  improve  his  herds  by  the 
introduction  of  pure-bred,  registered  animals. 

Yet  it  matters  little  how  successful  one  may  become  as  a  breeder 
of  improved  hogs,  or  in  the  building  up  of  his  herd,  as  a  feeder  if  he 
is  to  be  at  the  mercy  of  hog  cholera  epidemics,  and  is  constantly  con- 
fronted by  a  condition  that  may  in  the  space  of  a  few  days  wipe  out 
his  entire  herd,  destroy  utterly  the  results  of  years  of  work  and  study 
in  selective  breeding,  and  with  it  all  inflict  upon  him  a  loss  that  in  many 
cases  reaches  into  the  thousands  of  dollars. 

Concerted  Action. — Even  a  casual  consideration  of  the  facts  given 
above  will  show  the  absolute  necessity  of  some  definite,  effective,  concerted 
action  which  can  and  will  stay  the  ravages  of  this  disease  and  work  to 
its  final  elimination.  And  particularly  is  this  so  when  there  is  no  longer 
any  question  that  the  trouble  can  be  controlled. 

Up  until  within  the  past  few  years  hog  cholera  has  been  one  of  the 
stubborn  diseases  to  respond  to  treatment.  Although  the  whole  pharma- 
copeia has  been  searched  for  a  specific  cure,  no  such  cure  has  ever  been 
discovered.  Many  so-called  remedies  have  been  boasted  and  boosted,  but 
not  one  of  them  has  ever  proved  efiieacious  when  an  emergency  arose. 
Even  proper  feeding,  proper  housing  and  sanitary  surroundings,  though 
essential  in  maintaining  animals  in  a  healthy  condition  and  rendering 
them  more  able  to  fight  disease,  have  not  proved  a  safeguard  against 
cholera  infection.  And  on  the  contrary,  it  might  be  added,  that  there  ia 
no  condition  or  set  of  conditions,  even  improper  care  and  feeding  of 
hogs,  that  will  bring  on  cholera  infection  without  the  presence  of  the  living 
cholera  germ. 

A  Contagious  Disease. — Hog  cholera  is  characteristically  a  contagious 
disease  and  is  caused  by  a  living  germ  that  develops  and  multiplies  in 
the  body  of  the  animal  and  produces  a  poison  fatal  to  life.  Even  though 
scientists  have  thus  far,  because  of  inadequate  equipment,  been  unable  to 
identify  the  particular  bug  that  causes  the  havoc,  the  proof  of  its  ex- 
istence lies  in  the  fact  that  if  a  few  drops  of  blood  from  a  cholera  infected 
hog  be  injected  into  the  system  of  one  not  so  infected,  the  blood  of  the 
latter  animal  will  become  as  thoroughly  impregnated  with  cholera  virus 
as  was  that  of  the  former.  This  condition,  however,  would  not  and  could 
not  obtain  if  the  blood  of  the  original  animal  did  not  contain  a  living, 
active  organism.  An  inactive  or  dead  foreign  substance  injected  into  the 
blood  of  the  second  hog  could  not  multiply  or  increase  in  quantity. 

The  discovery  in  this  instance,  as  in  the  cases  of  all  contagious  or 
infectious  diseases,  of  the  origin  or  cause  of  the  disease  marked  the 
first  steps  toward  the  prevention  and  control  of  hog  cholera,  and  thanks 
to  the  investigations  and  activities  of  our  Department  of  Agriculture  and 
our  Experimental  Stations,  we  have,  I  am  firmly  convinced,  an  absolute 
method  of  preventing  the  disease  and  of  bringing  about  its  complete 
eradication.  In  my  mind  it  is  no  longer  a  question  of  how  to  prevent 
hog  cholera,  but  rather  is  it  one  of  how  to  provide  the  proper  means  under 
efficient  supervision  and  regulation,  and  then  to  get  the  farmers  to  use 
them. 


90  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

It  may  have  been  noticed  that  no  claim  has  been  made  that  a  cure 
for  this  disease  has  been  discovered.  Our  hope  for  its  control  lies  in 
its  prevention  rather  than  in  its  cure,  and  this  brings  us  to  the  discussion 
of  the  serum  method  of  treatment,  which  is  distinctly  preventive  rather 
than  curative  in  its  nature.  Success  in  fighting  hog  cholera  lies  in  warding 
it  off  rather  than  in  overcoming  it  after  the  animals  have  become  diseased. 

Method  of  Procedure. — To  understand  this  method  of  procedure  it  is 
essential  that  one  has  in  mind  a  clear  idea  of  what  is  meant  by  immunity. 

It  is  common  knowledge  that  when  a  person  has  once  recovered  from 
an  attack  of  certain  contagious  diseases  he  is  thereafter  less  liable  to 
respond  to  a  second  attack  of  those  same  diseases,  and  this  holds  with  other 
animals  as  well  as  with  human  beings.  Such  individuals,  whether  persona 
or  other  animals,  are  said  to  be  immune  to  those  particular  infections. 

What  this  immunity  consists  in  is  still  under  debate,  I  believe,  but 
whatever  its  nature  it  is  very  clear  that  those  animals  possess  a  resisting 
power  they  did  not  possess  previous  to  the  first  attack  of  the  disease. 

Scientists  tell  us  that  all  disease-producing  germs  or  bacteria  develop 
certain  toxins  or  poisons  which  acting  upon  the  body  cells  and  nerve 
centers  tend  to  cause  death.  At  the  same  time  that  this  invasion  is 
going  on  nature,  in  her  attempt  to  save  life,  begins  the  manufacture  of 
a  counter-acting  substance,  called  anti-toxin,  the  function  of  which  is 
the  destruction  of  the  living,  death-producing  microbes  and  thus  stay  or 
limit  the  progress  of  the  disease.  There  is,  therefore,  being  carried  on 
within  the  system  of  the  infected  animal  a  life  and  death  struggle  between 
these  two  opposing  forces,  the  toxin  and  the  anti-toxin,  and  the  ultimate 
success  of  the  one  or  the  other  means  either  the  death  or  the  recovery 
of  the  hog.  In  the  large  majority  of  cases,  however,  the  body  becomes 
so  thorough  impregnated  with  the  poisonous  germs  that  the  anti-toxin 
cannot  be  developed  rapidly  enough  and  hence  the  animal  dies.  If,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  animal  has  at  the  beginning  an  unusual  or  sufficient 
amount  of  native  resisting  power,  or  the  infection  be  not  of  the  more 
virulent  nature,  recovery  takes  place  and  thereafter  the  animal  is  con- 
sidered, and  is  in  reality,  immune. 

It  is  from  the  blood  of  these  immune  hogs  that  the  serum  is  secured, 
which,  when  injected  into  the  systems  of  other  hogs,  renders  them  like- 
wise immune  to  the  attacks  of  hog  cholera. 

Ordinarily,  however,  the  blood  of  these  merely  immune  hogs  contains 
only  enough  anti-toxin  to  protect  the  animals  themselves  against  the 
disease,  and  thus  the  serum  from  the  blood  of  such  animals,  in  small 
doses,  would  not  be  effective  in  immunizing  other  animals.  This  necessi- 
tates the  production  of  what  is  known  as  a  state  of  hyper-immunization 
in  the  hogs  from  which  the  serum  is  to  be  taken.  Hyper-immunization 
is  produced  by  giving  to  an  already  immune  hog  large  doses  of  cholera 
virus,  thus  causing  the  blood  of  the  animal  to  become  so  saturated  with 
anti-toxin  that  small  doses  of  serum  from  his  blood  may  be  successfully 
used  in  immunizing  other  hogs. 

Preparing  Serum. — The  method  of  preparing  the  serum  may  be  briefly 
stated  as  follows: 

Either  a  hog  is  procured  that  has  recovered  from  an  attack  of  hog 
cholera,  or  more  frequently,  such  an  immune  hog  is  artificially  produced 
by  injecting  him  with  a  small  dose  of  virus  obtained  from  an  acute  case 
of  the  disease,  while  at  the  same  time  -he  is  injected  with  a  protective 
dose  of  serum.  Thus  an  immunity  is  established.  Then  one  of  two  methods 
may  be  employed.  Either  several  successively  increasing  doses  of  virus 
may  be  given  at  intervals  of  about  a  week  apart,  or  one  extraordinarily 
large  dose  may  be  given  at  one  time.  Either  of  these  methods  is  effective, 
but  that  of  giving  the  one  large  dose  has  the  advantage  in  the  point  of 
time  saved.  From  a  week  to  ten  days  after  the  last  injection  of  virus  the 
animal  is  bled  from  the  tail,  about  a  pint  of  blood  being  drawn  from  a 
hog  weighing  one  hundred  pounds.  The  blood  so  drawn  is  allowed  to 
clot  and  the  clot  is  then  strained  under  pressure,  and  the  resulting  serum 


HOG  CHOLERA  AND   SERUM  91 

is  given  sufficient  of  a  five  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid  so  that 
ultimately  it  contains  one-half  of  one  per  cent  of  carbolic  acid,  this  being 
for  the  purpose  of  increasing  its  keeping  qualities. 

This  bleeding  process  is  repeated  at  least  twice  at  intervals  a  week 
apart,  the  whole  being  then  mixed  to  give  a  uniformity  of  product.  It 
should  then  be  tested  by  practical  experiment  to  determine  its  potency 
before  being  sent  out  and  is  then  ready  for  use.  If  properly  prepared, 
the  serum  is  undoubtedly  effective  in  immunizing  against  cholera  when 
used  in  doses  of  20  to  25  CC  for  hogs  weighing  100  pounds,  with  doses  of 
15  CC  extra  for  each  successive  100  pounds  of  live  weight  of  hog. 

In  warding  off  or  preventing  cholera  by  use  of  serum  one  of  two  methods 
may  be  employed.  First,  by  the  injection  of  serum  alone  under  the  skin  or 
into  the  muscles  of  the  animal.  This  is  known  as  the  simple  serum  method 
and  gives  only  temporary  immunity,  say  for  about  thirty  days.  The  sec- 
ond method,  known  as  the  simultaneous  method,  consists  in  the  injection 
of  the  same  amount  of  serum,  but  at  the  same  time  a  small  amount  of 
cholera  virus,  from  1  to  2  CC,  according  to  the  age  and  size  of  the 
animal,  is  also  injected  into  the  animal  being  treated.  The  second  method 
produces  what  is  known  as  active  immunity,  and  is  permanent  in  its  char- 
acter, lasting  during  the  period  of  the  animal's  life. 

Which  ever  method  is  employed  certain  essentials  must  be  absolutely 
insisted  upon  if  any  degree  of  success  is  to  follow  the  work;  and 
particularly  in  the  simultaneous  method  must  this  be  so  if  disastrous 
results  are  to  be  avoided. 

Essentials. — First,  the  serum  and  virus  used  must  be  pure  and  potent; 
and  second,  the  person  treating  the  hogs  must  know  his  business  thor- 
oughly— that  is,  he  must  be  able  to  k-noio  hog  cholera  when  he  sees  it, 
he  must  know  which  method  to  employ  under  the  given  or  existing  con- 
ditions, and  he  must  understand  how  to  do  the  work.  Failure  in  the 
observation  of  these  requirements  will  explain  why  there  are  still  so 
many  breeders  and  farmers  who  doubt  or  question  the  efficacy  of  the 
serum  treatment  and  hesitate  in  its  use. 

To  secure  the  proper  kind  of  serum  and  virus  it  is  necessary  that 
all  serum  and  virus  should  be  tested  to  determine  their  potency  before 
they  are  sent  out  for  use,  and  this  by  expert  supervision  under  state  or 
federal  control.  Ample  means  and  equipment  for  their  manufacture  should 
be  provided  so  that  when  emergencies  arise  and  the  demand  for  serum 
and  virus  becomes  large  and  urgent  the  calls  could  be  met  and  the  product 
sent  out  would  be  pure  and  potent.  This  comes  within  the  business  of  the 
state.  To  be  sure  there  are  numerous  commercial  plants  manufacturing 
serum  and  virus,  but  these  likewise  should  be  brought  under  state  or 
national  supervision  to  insure  the  excellence  of  their  product. 

That  the  work  of  treating  hogs  should  be  done  by  one  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  disease  and  competent  to  give  the  treatment  should  go 
without  saying,  when  one  considers  the  importance  of  the  undertaking  and 
the  magnitude  of  the  losses  that  may  result  if  failure  follows. 

Which  Method? — Which  method  of  treatment  should  be  used  must  be 
determined  by  existing  conditions.  Where  an  outbreak  has  already  occurred 
and  it  is  desired  to  treat  the  remaining  apparently  well  animals  the  simple 
serum  method  should  be  employed,  for  it  is  very  probable  that  many, 
if  not  all,  of  the  animals  so  injected  have  become  previously  infected  and 
the  treatment  will  result  in  permanent  or  active  immunity.  The  use  of 
cholera  virus  on  hogs  that  have  already  become  infected  or  are  other- 
wise diseased  is  simply  adding  to  their  troubles  and  will  almost  invariably 
result  in  the  death  of  the  animal.  Further,  the  simple  serum  method  only 
should  be  used  in  treating  brood  soics  in  pregnancy,  even  though  the  treat- 
ment may  have  to  be  repeated  to  carry  them  on  through  farrowing  and 
until  their  pigs  are  old  enough  to  wean,  and  then  both  sows  and  piga 
should  be  given  the  simultaneous  treatment. 

The  simultaneous  method  should  always  be  used  where  permanent 
immunity  is  desired,  and  especially  so  whenever  the  animals  are  to  be 
placed  in  lots  or  houses  in  which  cholera  outbreaks  have  previously 
occurred. 


92  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

As  to  the  efficacy  of  the  simultaneous  treatment,  where  the  serum  and 
virus  are  right  and  are  properly  given,  to  produce  immunity  and  thus 
permanently  prevent  the  ravages  of  hog  cholera  there  is  in  my  mind 
absolutely  no  question. 

That  it  can  be  done  has  been  proved  time  and  time  again.  To  be  sure 
there  are  numerous  cases  where  serum  has  been  used  with  no  apparent 
effect,  and  the  simultaneous  treatment  has  been  given  in  order  to  gain 
permanent  immunity,  that  results  have  been  deadly  and  almost  entire 
herds  have  been  lost.  But  careful  investigation,  and  thorough  analysis 
of  the  serum  used  have  proved,  or  would  have  proved,  that  where  the 
simultaneous  method  was  employed  the  simple  serum  treatment  only  should 
have  been  used,  and  in  both  cases  the  serum  itself  had  lost  part  if  not 
all  its  potency. 

My  Own  Experience.: — In  May,  1911,  with  172  head  of  hogs,  young  and 
old,  on  hand,  cholera  broke  out  in  our  herd.  We  immediately  began  the 
use  of  serum,  injecting  not  only  the  hogs  already  sick  with  the  disease, 
but  also  those  that  had  been  exposed.  The  effect  of  the  treatment  was 
to  check  the  progress  of  the  disease,  and  our  losses  were  confined  to  those 
animals  that  had  become  badly  infected  before  the  serum  was  used.  We 
came  out  of  the  siege  with  127  animals,  having  lost  forty-five — eight 
mature  hogs  and  thirty-seven  pigs.  Compare  these  results  with  those  of 
one  of  our  neighbors  whose  herd  was  attacked  by  cholera  shortly  after 
our  herd  became  infected.  He  had  165  animals,  young  and  old,  at  the 
beginning,  and  he  came  out  of  his  trouble  with  only  five  head  remaining — 
two  sows  and  three  pigs.  He  did  not  believe  in  the  serum  treatment  or 
in  its  virtue  as  a  preventive.  Note  the  comparative  results  and  draw  your 
own  conclusions. 

This  outbreak  of  cholera  in  our  own  herd  led  us  to  adopt  the  policy 
of  permanently  immunizing  every  animal.  Those  that  had  recovered  from 
the  disease  were  already  immune.  Those  that  had  never  shown  sickness, 
even  though  they  had  previously  been  given  the  simple  serum,  were  sub- 
jected to  the  simultaneous  treatment.  This  practice  we  rigidly  adhere 
to.  All  young  pigs  from  immune  parents,  before  being  weaned,  and  all 
new  stock  brought  into  the  herd,  unless  we  are  positive  it  has  already 
been  treated,  are  likewise  given  the  simultaneous  treatment.  And  in 
giving  the  treatment  we  have  never  lost  a  single  animal  as  a  result  of 
such  treatment,  and  up  to  the  present  time  we  have  treated  upwards  of 
1,300  animals.  In  this,  however,  we  have  been  singularly  fortunate.  Sta- 
tistics show  that  ordinarily  a  loss  of  from  two  to  five  per  cent  of  the 
animals  treated  may  be  looked  for.  But  even  this  is  insignificant  when 
compared  with  losses  that  commonly  follow  an  outbreak  where  the  treat- 
ment is  not  employed. 

Applying  the  Treatment. — Our  method  of  procedure  in  giving  the 
simultaneous  treatment  may  explain  in  part  the  reason  for  our  freedom 
from  loss  following  its  application. 

In  beginning  the  work  of  immunizing  our  herd  we  gave  each  animal  a 
regular  dose  of  simple  serum  alone.  This  was  given  as  a  preparatory 
treatment.  Fourteen  (14)  days  later  we  gave  each  animal  thus  treated 
the  double  or  simultaneous  treatment,  using  the  virus  and  the  regular 
amount  of  serum.  The  preparatory  treatment  paved  the  way  for  the 
simultaneous  treatment  14  days  later,  and  rendered  the  animal  better 
able  to  stand  the  latter  treatment. 

In  treating  pigs  whose  parents  are  immune,  we  give  the  simultaneous 
treatment  at  once,  and  without  the  preparatory  dose.  We  usually  treat 
our  pigs  about  two  weeks  before  we  wean  them. 

Hogs  and  pigs  being  treated  should  be  given  a  clean,  dry  place  to 
house  in,  plenty  of  cool,  clean  water,  and  all  heating  and  heavy  feeds 
should  be  discontinued  for  a  couple  of  weeks. 

In  case  any  animal,  given  the  simultaneous  treatment,  is  not  doing 
well  as  a  result  of  the  treatment,  give  it  another,  a  double  dose  of  simple 
serum.  This  will  help  carry  it  through  the  fight. 

While  we  recognize  that  the  giving  of  the  above  so-called  preparatory 
dose  of  simple  serum  doubles  the  cost  of  immunizing  hogs  and  pigs,  yet 


HOG  CHOLERA  AND  SERUM  93 

the  total  absence  from  loss  of  animals  by  such  practice  fully  justifies,  in 
our  minds,  the  added  expense  thus  incurred.  And  especially  is  this 
true  where  the  treatment  is  being  given  to  pure-bred,  registered  stock. 

Our  observations  in  treating  breeding  stock  have  led  us  to  adopt  the 
following  practice:  We  never  give  the  simultaneous  treatment  to  bred 
sows,  nor  do  we  breed  sows  within  two  or  three  weeks  after  treating 
them.  Further,  boars  just  treated  should  not  be  put  into  immediate  serv- 
ice. Time  should  be  allowed  for  the  immediate  after  effects  of  the 
treatment  to  wear  off  the  animals  to  regain  their  normal  and  active 
condition. 

Results  of  Treatment. — The  results  of  our  experience  in  following  out 
this  practice  have  removed  from  our  minds  all  fear  of  cholera  epidemics. 
We  do  not  hesitate  to  move  animals  from  one  house  or  lot  to  another 
even  though  we  know  that  the  latter  may  have  contained  hogs  that  had 
had  cholera  and  are  known  to  be  thoroughly  infected  with  cholera  germs. 
And  we  have  never  had  an  animal  become  infected  by  such  handling. 
Further,  we  do  not  fear  to  introduce  new  hogs  into  our  herd  regardless 
of  where  they  may  come  from.  During  the  entire  show  seasons  of  1912  and 
1913  none  of  our  hogs  were  troubled  with  the  disease,  and  after  the  fairs 
were  over  we  did  not  hesitate  to  return  our  show  animals  immediately 
back  into  the  lots  with  our  other  hogs. 

Further  Tests. — We  have  carried  our  tests  still  farther  to  prove  the 
efficacy  of  the  simultaneous  treatment  in  producing  permanent  or  active 
immunity.  This  was  done  to  demonstrate  to  the  breeders  and  farmers 
of  this  locality  how  cholera  epidemics  could  be  prevented. 

In  August,  1912,  one  of  our  young  barrows  was  placed  in  a  herd  of 
hogs  in  which  an  outbreak  of  cholera  had  occurred.  He  remained  there 
fifty-five  days  without  contracting  the  disease  and  then  was  brought  back 
and  placed  again  among  our  own  hogs. 

The  second  of  January,  1913,  we  sent  out  three  other  barrows  to  be 
put  among  hogs  that  were  dying  from  cholera.  These  three  barrows  re- 
mained among  those  sick  hogs  for  more  than  six  weeks,  eating  and 
sleeping  with  them,  but  not  one  of  the  three  became  infected  or  showed 
any  ill  effects  from  the  rigid  test  under  which  they  had  been  placed. 

Further,  at  the  International  Live  Stock  Exposition  in  Chicago  in 
1912  the  writer  purchased  six  choice  gilts  to  be  shipped  us  and  placed 
in  our  breeding  herd.  Knowing  the  infected  condition  of  the  Union 
Stock  Yards,  it  was  stipulated  that  those  gilts  be  given  the  simultaneous 
treatment  before  shipment.  Through  oversight  on  the  part  of  the  man 
left  in  charge  of  the  animals  they  were  not  given  the  treatment,  and 
were  shipped  immediately  after  the  close  of  the  Exposition  and  were 
placed  at  once  among  the  other  animals  of  our  herd  which  numbered  at  that 
time  something  over  240  hogs  and  pigs.  Only  a  very  few  days  elapsed  after 
their  arrival  before  those  gilts  showed  distinct  evidences  of  cholera  infection. 
Three  of  the  animals  had  become  so  badly  infected  that  it  was  impossible 
to  save  them.  The  others  we  were  fortunate  in  pulling  through  by  a 
liberal  injection  of  serum.  The  important  point  in  connection  with  this 
incident  is  this:  Though  all  of  those  six  gilts  had  the  cholera,  and  three 
of  them  died  from  the  disease,  yet  not  one  of  the  240  immune  animals 
among  which  they  were  placed,  and  with  which  they  had  been  eating 
and  sleeping,  became  infected,  or  have  we  seen  any  evidence  or  trace  of 
cholera  among  our  animals  since,  and  this  was  over  a  year  ago. 

Such  tests  as  these  are  our  warrant  for  the  conclusions  we  have  reached 
that  hog  cholera  can  be  prevented,  and  by  its  prevention  be  completely 
eradicated.  And  the  results  we  have  attained  are  being  repeated  by 
numerous  other  breeders  who  have  adopted  the  system  of  simultaneously 
treating  their  animals  and  have  given  the  method  fair  and  intelligent 
handling. 

Immunizing  a  "Business  Policy. — With  us  the  permanent  immunizing  of 
our  hogs  is  a  business  proposition  pure  and  simple.  The  cost  is  strictly 
an  investment  in  the  way  of  the  purchase  of  protection  that  will  insure 
against  losses  that  might  reach  into  the  thousands  of  dollars  if  we  were  not 
BO  protected. 


94  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A   PRACTICAL   HOG   MAN 

An  important  point  which  should  be  mentioned  is  the  possibility  of 
carrying,  or  the  transmission  of,  cholera  infection  from  herds,  in  which 
the  simultaneous  method  of  treatment  is  employed,  to  herds  which  are 
not  immune.  For  the  past  year  and  a  half  we  have  shipped  hogs  and  pigs 
to  every  section  of  the  United  States,  and  we  have  as  yet  to  learn  of 
the  first  instance  where  any  infection  has  been  carried  from  our  herd  to 
other  herds,  even  though  those  herds  had  not  been  given  the  simultaneous 
treatment.  And  further,  we  have  as  yet  to  hear  of  the  first  case  where 
herds  in  our  own  locality  have  become  infected  because  of  our  practice 
of  employing  the  simultaneous  treatment  to  immunize  our  animals. 

It  is  advisable,  however,  that  care  should  be  taken  where  hogs  are 
being  shipped  from  herds  in  which  the  simultaneous  method  is  used,  and 
especially  so  when  they  are  being  sent  into  sections  where  the  animals 
are  not  immune.  Animals  just  treated  should  be  held  several  weeks  before 
shipment,  and  in  all  cases  they  should  be  thoroughly  disinfected  before 
being  sent  out.  Upon  being  received  by  the  purchaser  they  should  be 
held  in  quarantine  for  about  thirty  days.  Observation  of  the  above  pre- 
cautions should  remove  all  possibility  of  trouble. 

Each  Man  Must  Decide  for  Self. — Whether  or  not  a  breeder  of  hogs 
should  adopt  the  policy  of  simultaneously  treating  his  animals,  and  thus 
establishing  and  maintaining  a  permanent  immune  herd,  is  for  each  breeder 
himself  to  determine.  Situated  as  we  are,  in  the  center  of  the  great  swine 
producing  section  of  the  country,  where  hog  cholera  outbreaks  are  con- 
stantly occurring,  and  hog  cholera  germs  are  with  us  practically  all  of 
the  time,  this  method  of  treatment  is  our  only  salvation,  and  affords  the 
only  means  by  which  we  can  check  and  prevent  the  disease.  For  breeders, 
who  live  in  sections  of  the  country  where  the  disease  seldom  occurs,  and 
who  are  not  bringing  in  stock  from  cholera  infested  districts,  the  need 
for  immediate  action  is  not  so  imperative.  But  those  breeders  who  do  not 
adopt  the  practice  of  permanently  immunizing  their  herds,  and  follow 
this  up  by  likewise  immunizing  their  young  stock  as  it  comes  along  each 
year,  should  be  ever  on  the  alert,  and  when  an  out-break  of  cholera  does 
occur  in  their  locality  they  should  at  once  get  in  touch  with  their  state 
authorities,  and  active  and  persistent  steps  be  taken  to  check  the  progress 
of  the  disease. 

Unfortunately,  many  of  our  states  have  not  as  yet  provided  ample 
facilities  for  the  production  of  proper  serum  and  virus  to  meet  the  demand 
when  hog  cholera  becomes  epidemic.  Under  these  circumstances  breeders 
are  forced  to  depend  upon  commercial  concerns  for  their  supplies. 

It  is  in  helping  the  breeder  to  get  pure  and  potent  serum  and  virus 
that  the  state  and  federal  authorities  can  be  of  greatest  assistance.  Every 
plant  manufacturing  these  supplies  should  be  under  constant  state  or 
federal  supervision,  and  every  bottle  of  serum  and  virus  sent  out  should 
bear  the  stamp  of  the  government  inspector.  This  would  in  effect  place  all 
serum  and  virus  on  a  recognized  standard  basis  as  to  their  purity  and 
potency,  and  would  insure  to  the  farmer  and  breeder  the  quality  of  the 
article  they  were  getting.  Then  steps  should  be  taken  by  the  state  author- 
ities to  see  that  the  serum  and  virus  are  administered  by  men  who  know 
their  business  and  have  license  to  do  the  work. 

While  the  simultaneous  method  of  treatment  affords  a  means  of  check- 
ing and  eliminating  hog  cholera,  in  districts  or  sections  of  the  country 
where  it  has  become  prevelant,  every  precaution  should  be  taken  to  pre- 
vent its  being  carried  into  other  sections  or  states  not  so  infected. 

A  law  should  be  passed  making  it  a  misdemeanor  to  sell  a  bunch  of 
sick  hogs.  A  law  should  be  passed  requiring  the  railroad  companies  to 
disinfect  each  stock  car  after  it  has  taken  a  load  of  hogs  to  market,  and 
every  public  stock  yard  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  disinfected  at 
stated  intervals.  Further,  a  law  is  needed,  and  should  be  enacted  by  the 
federal  government,  requiring  a  certificate  of  health  for  a  hog  before  he 
can  be  shipped  from  one  state  to  another. 

These  are  precautionary  measures  which  are  needed  and  which  can 
and  will  do  much  towards  preventing  the  spreading  of  the  disease. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
COMMON  DISEASES 

Worms. — The  question  of  worms  in  pigs  is  one  of  greater 
importance  than  many  breeders  and  farmers  realize.  The  presence 
of  worms  in  the  stomach  is  not  only  a  hindrance  to  thrift  and 
growth,  but  if  neglected,  becomes  a  very  dangerous  matter,  as  the 
worms  multiply  very  rapidly  and  are  a  constant  drain  on  the  vital- 
ity of  the  pig.  Often  they  become  so  numerous  in  good  sized 
shotes  that  they  form  almost  a  solid  mass  in  the  intestines,  which 
results  in  emaciation  of  the  pig  and  finally  death.  It  is  a  question 
in  my  mind  if  more  pigs  do  not  die  from  stomach  worms  during 
the  fall  and  winter  months  than  from  cholera. 

It  should  be  the  practice  of  every  farmer  and  also  of  every 
breeder  of  pure-bred  hogs  to  feed  something  throughout  the  life  of 
the  pig  as  a  preventive  or  a  destroyer  of  worms.  There  are  many 
medicated  salts  on  the  market,  most  of  them  good,  and  these  pre- 
parations have  proven,  with  us  at  least,  successful  in  either  prevent- 
ing worms  entirely  or  keeping  the  trouble  down  so  much  that  we 
have  never  had  any  difficulty  with  worms.  Even  when  feeding 
something  of  this  kind,  however,  one  will  occasionally  see  the  pass- 
ing of  worms  from  the  pigs.  Any  worm  powder  that  contains  the 
proper  amount  of  Santonin  is  good,  and  where  the  use  of  medicated 
salts  is  not  quite  sufficient,  let  the  owner  at  once  get  a  prescription 
from  a  veterinarian  which  will  clean  them  out.  Young  hogs  that 
are  badly  infected  with  stomach  worms  will  have  a  very  unthrifty 
appearance;  the  coat  will  be  dry  and  "staring";  the  head  rather 
drooping  as  in  cholera ;  the  back  arched ;  the  pig  coughing  more  or 
less,  and  becoming  more  emaciated  every  day,  with  little  appetite. 

Another  species  of  worms  that  bother  young  hogs  and  pigs  is 
what  is  known  as  thread  worms,  which  form  in  bunches  or  large 
quantities  in  the  throat  and  often  about  the  lungs,  causing  a  severe 
cough  and  much  emaciation.  These  can  usually  be  readily  cleaned 
out  by  giving  a  couple  of  tablespoons  of  turpentine  to  each  three 
hundred  pounds  of  live  weight,  in  the  slop  every  day  for  three 
days,  then  skipping  a  day  or  two  and  using  it  again  for  three  days. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  when  you  are  doctoring  a  pig  for 
worms  with  medicine  of  any  kind,  it  should  be  given  on  an  empty 
stomach,  or  in  other  words,  after  the  pig  has  been  kept  from  feed 
about  eighteen  hours,  otherwise  the  turpentine  or  worm  medicine 
would  have  little  or  no  effect. 

These  species  of  worms  are  the  only  two  with  which  I  have  ever 
had  any  experience  during  our  many  years  of  breeding  pigs,  and 
they  never  caused  me  any  trouble  whatever,  as  we  are  always  on 
the  alert  for  worm  symptoms. 

95 


96  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

The  eye  of  the  feeder  is  one  of  the  great  things  in  the  hog  busi- 
ness. The  man  who  feeds  the  pigs  should  take  interest  enough  in 
his  work  to  carefully  note  the  condition  of  each  animal  daily,  and 
if  there  is  ever  so  small  a  change  in  the  animal,  by  way  of  being  a 
little  ''off  feed,"  he  must  at  once  find  out  what  the  trouble  is, 
whether  it  is  an  over  feed  from  the  day  before,  or  a  little  indisposi- 
tion from  conditions  which,  unless  promptly  attended  to,  might 
lead  to  serious  trouble.  The  old  adage  that  a  "  Stitch  in  time 
saves  nine"  was  never  more  true  than  in  the  care  of  swine. 

Why  Young  Pigs  Lose  Their  Tails. — One  often  notices  when 
looking  over  a  number  of  litters,  especially  of  Spring  pigs  that  were 
farrowed  during  the  cold  months  of  February  and  March,  that  a 
number  of  them  have  lost  their  tails.  This  condition  is  caused 
wholly  by  neglecting  to  provide  dry  beds  for  the  sow  and  litter. 
I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  an  occasional  change  of  bedding,  once 
every  week  or  two  would  prevent  it,  but  that  the  bed  of  the  young 
nursing  litter  must  be  absolutely  dry  at  all  times,  and  to  make  it 
such  it  should  be  changed  at  least  every  other  day.  Otherwise  the 
bed  will  become  damp  and  the  mother  and  litter  will  heat  it  so  that 
it  soon  commences  to  steam,  and  if  you  should  put  your  hand  on 
the  straw  you  will  find  it  hot  and  wet.  This  will  surely  cause  their 
little  tails  to  shrivel  and  in  a  week  or  so  drop  off. 

If  you  notice  a  pig  among  your  litter  of  youngsters  that  shows 
a  little  crease  or  crack  around  the  tail  within  an  inch  or  a  half  inch 
of  the  body,  while  the  rest  of  the  tail  seems  dry  and  dead,  you  may 
make  up  your  mind  that  it  will  be  a  bobbed  tail  pig  in  a  mighty 
short  time.  If  the  trouble  has  not  gone  too  far,  it  may  be  over- 
come by  cleaning  the  tail  where  the  crack  appears,  with  peroxide  of 
hydrogen,  which  disinfects  and  purifies  the  sore  parts,  and  if  this 
is  applied  two  or  three. times  daily,  and  afterward  the  place  rubbed 
with  carbolated  vaseline,  if  the  case  is  not  too  bad,  the  tail  may  be 
saved.  Of  course  the  matter  of  bobbed  tail  pigs  "cuts  little  ice" 
where  the  hogs  are  being  raised  for  the  pork  market,  but  the  loss  of 
the  tail  greatly  disfigures  an  otherwise  outstanding  show  animal. 
While  the  average  judge  would  not  turn  down  an  animal  in  the 
show  ring  for  lack  of  a  good  tail  and  nice  switch  or  brush,  he 
would  very  much  prefer  that  the  disfigurement  was  not  there. 

Thumps  in  Young  Pigs. — Thumps  in  very  young  pigs  often 
occur  where  litters  are  farrowed  in  the  colder  months  of  the  Spring 
or  Winter.  While  there  is  no  trouble  in  saving  the  litter  if  proper- 
ly handled,  there  is  danger  of  the  young  litter  becoming  too  fat, 
particularly  through  the  shoulders  and  front  half  of  the  body. 
This  is  caused  by  their  not  taking  proper  exercise,  and  receiving 
too  great  a  flow  of  rich  milk  from  the  mother.  In  this  case  they 
always  become  extremely  fat,  especially  about  the  heart  and  vital 
organs  of  the  body,  and  so  thicken  up  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
for  the  little  fellows  to  breathe  even  while  lying  quietly  in  the 
nest,  and  when  this  stage  becomes  apparent  it  means  almost  sure 
death  to  the  pigs  if  they  are  forced  to  take  exercise ;  hence  it  is  ex- 


COMMON  DISEASES  97 

tremely  important  that  if  a  litter  is  farrowed  when  it  is  cold  and 
they  are  inclined  to  stay  in  the  nest  all  day,  they  must  be  made  to 
hustle  out  and  take  exercise  enough  to  keep  them  from  getting  too 
fat. 

This  condition  will  be  very  quickly  noticed  by  an  observing  man 
who  looks  after  the  sow  and  litter. 

If  the  sow  is  a  good  milker  there  is  all  the  more  danger.  In  this 
case  it  would  be  well  to  feed  the  sow,  for  two  or  three  weeks,  on  a 
ration  that  would  not  produce  so  much  milk.  This  would  be  a  great 
help  in  keeping  down  the  trouble,  but  the  pigs  should  be  made  to 
take  plenty  of  exercise  daily  before  any  such  condition  appears. 

There  are  several  ways  of  compelling  this  exercise.  One  is  to 
take  the  litter  some  distance  from  the  sleeping  place  or  nest  and 
put  them  on  the  ground  and  let  them  work  their  way  back.  It 
makes  no  difference  how  far  .this  distance  is,  if  you  are  sure  they 
will  get  back  to  the  nest.  If  this  custom  is  followed  daily  you  will 
lose  no  pigs  from  so-called  thumps. 

Another  plan  is  to  take  the  pigs  out  of  the  nest  and  get  after 
them  with  a  broom  and  if  they  will  not  run  away  from  you,  force 
them  to  do  so,  by  pushing  them  along. 

Any  system  is  all  right  that  will  compel  lots  of  exercise. 

Pleura-Pneumonia. — There  is  another  trouble  one  often  runs 
up  against  when  he  walks  out  among  his  pigs  in  the  fall,  or  in  fact 
at  almost  any  time.  He  finds  a  half-grown  animal,  or  even  a  ma- 
ture one,  breathing  short  and  fast  with  a  perceptible  jerk  in  the 
flank  and  back  of  the  heart  along  the  shoulders.  This  is  a  pretty 
sure  symptom  of  serious  trouble,  and  is  generally  an  unfailing 
sign  of  what  is  known  as  Swine  Plague,  or  what  would  be  called,  in 
the  human  race,  Pneumonia.  This  is  a  dangerous  disease  and  is 
one  of  the  "so-called"  varieties  of  hog  cholera  and  is  really  more 
dangerous.  There  is  little  that  can  be  done  with  hogs  in  this  con- 
dition. They  should  be  given  a  warm,  dry  place  to  sleep,  thorough- 
ly rubbed  with  some  strong  heating  liniment,  that  is  penetrating,  all 
along  the  sides ;  back  of  the  elbow ;  between  the  fore  legs ;  all  about 
the  vital  organs ;  then,  if  in  a  shivering  condition,  cover  them  with 
blankets  or  something  to  keep  them  warm,  and  keep  them  where  no 
draft  or  cold  air  can  strike  them.  It  would  be  well,  in  a  severe 
case,  to  consult  the  family  physician  or  a  good  Veterinarian  with  a 
view  of  giving  them  some  internal  treatment.  The  animals  will 
appear  very  gaunt  and  probably  refuse  to  eat.  If  this  is  the  case 
there  is  not  much  hope.  Exercise  in  this  case  is  always  fatal. 

Sore  Mouths. — Some  breeders  and  farmers  often  have  trouble 
with  sore  mouths  among  their  pigs.  There  are  two  kinds  of  sore 
mouth  that  we  have  had  experience  with — neither  of  which  need 
cause  any  trouble  whatever.  The  more  common  cases  are  caused 
by  the  pigs  fighting  each  other  while  nursing,  and  with  their  little 
sharp  tusks  (which  are  usually  black),  they  strike  each  other  on 
the  sides  of  the  face  and  jowl.  This  trouble  can  be  stopped  at  once 


98  FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

by  taking  the  pig,  when  it  is  three  or  four  days  old,  and  nipping 
off  these  little  tusks  with  a  very  small  pair  of  pliers,  and  washing 
the  sore  part  of  the  face  with  a  solution  of  any  good  coal  tar  dip. 

This  trouble  could  be  avoided  if  one  was  careful  to  note,  while 
the  litter  was  sucking,  whether  or  not  there  was  any  inclination 
for  the  little  fellows  to  fight  each  other. 

Canker  Sore  Mouth. — Canker  sore  mouth  is  very  dangerous, 
and  unless  treated  at  once,  a  hard  thing  to  cure ;  but  what  little  we 
have  had  in  our  herd  has  been  stopped  in  a  day  or  two  by  using  a 
soft  cloth,  wet  in  a  solution  of  good  dip  (made  quite  strong)  and 
thoroughly  washing  the  mouth  of  the  pig  affected.  If  this  is  done 
daily,  or  even  every  two  or  three  days,  for  three  or  four  times,  it 
will  absolutely  cure  canker  sore  month — or  at  least  it  has  done  so 
in  all  cases  we  have  had.  If  treatment  is  not  commenced  within  a 
short  time  after  the  cankers  are  formed,  the  teeth  will  drop  out  and 
gums  slough  off  and  the  pig  die  from  the  trouble. 

Canker  sore  month,  I  am  informed,  results  from  the  contamina- 
tion with  germs  often  found  even  in  the  soil;  if  there  has  been  no 
other  way  of  the  disease  being  communicated,  the  ground  should  be 
thoroughly  wet  with  a  strong  disinfectant.  The  sow 's  udder  should 
also  be  thoroughly  washed  with  disinfectant  and  the  trough  as 
well,  and  no  further  trouble  is  likely  to  occur. 

Sore  Feet. — It  is  not  often  that  pigs  are  troubled  with  sore 
feet,  yet  sometimes,  where  they  are  kept  and  fed  on  frozen  ground, 
the  feet  become  sore  and  sensitive,  which  causes  the  pig  to  walk  in 
a  very  peculiar  manner.  This  is  more  often  the  case  where  hogs  are 
very  heavy  and  are  obliged  to  walk  on  rough,  hard  or  frozen 
ground.  There  are  occasionally  cases  where  sores  break  out  around 
the  hoof  and  between  the  toes.  This  is  what  might  be  called  '  *  foul 
in  the  foot,"  but  is  not  considered  contagious,  being  only  a  local 
trouble  which  irritates  the  part  between  the  toes.  Sometimes  this 
is  caused  by  being  obliged  to  walk  about  a  yard  that  is  filled  with 
cinders;  these  get  between  the  toes  and  cause  irritation.  If  such 
a  yard  is  being  used  it  would  be  well  to  cover  the  places  over  with 
sand  and  wet  it  thoroughly  with  a  disinfectant. 

If  an  animal  becomes  very  lame  wash  the  place  two  or  three 
times  daily  with  nitrate  of  potassium — saltpetre — and  this  will 
cool  the  irritated  parts  and  relieve  the  trouble.  Should  proud 
flesh  appear  use  chloride  of  zinc,  one  dram  in  a  pint  of  water,  once 
or  twice  daily.  Keep  the  pigs  in  a  dry  place  and  feed  them  well. 
Proud  flesh  may  be  known  by  its  appearance,  which  is  bluish  in 
color  and  spongy  to  the  touch.  This  may  be  removed  by  an  ap- 
plication of  terchloride  of  antimony,  which  may  be  put  on  with  a 
feather.  This  will  usually  remove  proud  flesh,  after  which  the 
above  treatment  will  heal  the  sores. 

Sterility. — Generally  speaking,  there  is  not  much  trouble  in  the 
swine  breeding  business  along  this  line,  unless  it  be  among  highly 
fitted  show  animals,  which  have  been  forced  by  stimulating  feed  to 
a  condition  of  flesh  that  is  abnormal.  Where  this  is  the  case,  the 


COMMON  DISEASES  99 

animal  becomes  so  plethoric  from  being  highly  fed,  that  sometimes 
the  tubes  connected  with  the  organs  of  generation  are  blocked  up. 
There  are  also  other  causes,  such  as  disordered  ovaries;  a  morbid 
condition  of  the  uterus ;  or  hardening  of  the  neck  of  the  uterus.  In 
a  pig,  on  account  of  not  being  able  to  make  an  examination,  it  is 
difficult  to  find  the  cause  and,  if  found,  it  would  be  difficult  to  re- 
move. 

If  the  animal  is  kept  in  only  good  growing  condition,  avoiding 
its  getting  too  fat,  there  will  seldom  be  any  trouble.  If  the  sow  takes 
on  fat  very  easily,  and  will  not  breed,  give  her  two  ounces  of  Ep- 
som Salts,  dissolved  in  half  a  pint  of  cold  water;  follow  this  with 
ten  grains  of  Iodide  of  Potassium  twice  a  day,  in  her  feed,  for  two 
weeks.  By  this  treatment  one  may  succeed  in  absorbing  the  ma- 
terials which  have  blocked  up  some  of  the  tubes  connected  with  the 
organs  of  generation.  On  the  other  hand,  if  an  animal  is  very  thin 
and  in  a  weak,  run-down  condition,  and  fails  to  breed,  give  her 
good  feed — all  she  will  eat — and  with  this  twenty  to  forty  drops, 
according  to  size  of  animal,  of  tincture  of  chloride  of  iron,  twice 
a  day  in  the  feed. 

Rheumatism. — Rheumatism  is  very  common  among  pigs ;  more 
particularly  among  quite  young  ones.  It  is  hard  to  say  what  causes 
rheumatism  in  the  pigs,  as  we  often  find  it  under  various  condi- 
tions— whether  the  animals  are  well  kept  or  not. 

Symptoms — Lameness  in  one  or  more  of  the  legs ;  swelling  of  the 
hock  joints  or  the  fetlock  joint.  When  these  muscles  are  affected 
it  may  be  a  form  of  inflammatory  rheumatism,  which  may  cause 
some  fever  and  sickness.  In  this  case  the  animal  would  be  stiff 
and  refuse  to  eat ;  its  breath  will  come  quite  short  and  fast ;  muz- 
zle, or  nose,  will  be  dry,  and  if  the  animal  is  made  to  move  about  it 
will  show  signs  of  pain.  Often  it  will  shift  from  one  leg  to  an- 
other. 

Treatment — The  animal  should  be  kept  in  a  warm,  comfortable 
place  and  if  it  is  in  good  flesh  give  it  a  dose  of  from  one  to  two 
ounces  Epsom  Salts  every  three  or  four  days,  or  two  to  three,  drops 
of  Croton  oil,  which  is  a  useful  medicine  in  rheumatism. 

For  pigs,  two  or  three  months  old,  give  half  the  quantity.  It  is 
well  to  rub  the  swollen  joints  with  an  equal  mixture  of  turpentine 
and  sweet  oil. 

Inflammation  of  Udder. — "While  this  is  not  considered  a  dis- 
ease, at  times  it  causes  some  trouble — but  not  often. 

Causes — Usually  this  is  caused  by  an  over  accumulation  of  milk 
in  the  udder  which  is  the  result  of  overfeeding  the  sow  on  rich 
feed  immediately  after  farrowing,  or  caused  by  the  litter  being  too 
few  in  number  or  too  weak  to  take  all  the  milk  that  the  sow  furnish- 
es, resulting  in  a  feverish  condition  and  soreness  of  the  udder. 

Symptoms — Udder  becomes  swollen  and  rather  hard,  and  is 
hot  to  the  touch.  The  skin  will  become  red  and  very  tender.  When 
this  is  the  case  the  sow  usually  shows  considerable  fever,  loss  of  ap- 
petite and  constipation. 

Treatment. — If  possible,  draw  off  the  milk,  although  this  is  a 
hard  matter  to  do  as  the  inflammation  causes  the  milk  to  coagulate. 


100      FORTY  YEARS'  EXPERIENCE  OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG  MAN 

If  the  pigs  are  living  allow  them  to  nurse,  yet  this  is  bad  for  the 
pigs,  as  that  usually  starts  the  ailment  in  new  born  pigs  known  as 
white  scours.  Bathe  the  udder  carefully  with  hot  water,  then  use 
a  half  ounce  of  acetate  of  lead,  with  two  ounces  of  tincture  of  arni- 
ca in  one  quart  of  warm  water.  This  bathing  should  be  done  three 
times  a  day  and  the  lotion  applied  after  each  bath.  Give  the  sow 
two  ounces  of  Epsom  salts,  followed  with  ten  grains  of  nitrate  of 
potassium,  in  a  little  water  three  times  a  day.  If  the  udder  be- 
comes very  hard  or  caked,  rub  with  one  dram  of  Iodine  and  one 
ounce  of  vaseline.  Apply  this  about  twice  a  week  until  the  udder 
becomes  soft  and  pliable. 

Sore  Teats. — Once  in  a  while,  while  nursing,  the  teats  will 
become  inflamed  and  swollen  and,  of  course,  are  very  sore.  The 
sow  will  be  inclined  to  refuse  to  let  the  pigs  touch  her.  This  only 
makes  matters  worse,  on  account  of  the  accumulation  of  milk  in  the 
udder,  and  the  result  is  a  fever  as  above  mentioned. 

Cause.— This  trouble  is  generally  caused  by  the  udder  and  teats 
dragging  through  the  dirt  or  mud  which  irritates  the  skin,  making 
it  crack  and  become  sore.  It  is  also  caused  by  the  sow  having  trav- 
eled through  poisonous  weeds  in  the  pasture,  while  wet  with  dew 
or  rain. 

Treatment. — Bathe  three  times  a  day  with  half  an  ounce  acetate 
of  lead  in  a  quart  of  warm  water.  Then  bathe  with  two  ounces 
glycerine  and  tannic  acid — twenty  grains  in  four  ounces  of  water 
well  shaken. 

Skin  Diseases. — About  the  only  skin  disease  that  one  is  liable 
to  have  occasion  to  treat,  is  mange.  This  is  caused  by  a  parasite 
that  burrows  under  the  scurf  skin  and  causes  great  irritation,  prac- 
tically destroying  that  part  of  the  skin,  so  that  a  little  scab  forms. 
This,  on  account  of  great  itching,  causes  the  animal  to  rub  and  this 
disease  soon  becomes  general  throughout  the  herd.  The  scabs 
formed  are  rubbed  and  soon  become  a  raw  sore.  The  first  appear- 
ance will  be  found  on  the  thin  parts  of  the  skin ;  back  of  the  ears ; 
inside  the  thighs  or  upon  the  back.  The  parasite  may  be  readily 
seen  with  a  pocket  magnifying  glass. 

When  first  discovered  remove  all  unaffected  pigs  to  buildings 
or  grounds  where  affected  pigs  have  not  been. 

Treatment. — First  wash  the  pig  all  over  with  soap-suds,  and 
then  rub  in  dry  sulphur.  The  sulphur  coming  in  contact  with  the 
sores  forms  a  compound  that  is  poisonous  to  the  parasite.  Another 
sure  remedy  is  to  steep  two  ounces  of  stavesacre  seeds  in  one  and 
one-half  quarts  of  water.  Keep  water  nearly  boiling  for  an  hour, 
then  add  enough  water  to  make  up  the  quantity  originally  placed 
in  the  vessel.  This  solution,  rubbed  well  into  the  skin,  will  kill 
both  the  parasite  and  its  eggs.  This  may  be  repeated  if  necessary. 
Animals  that  are  occasionally  dipped  with  any  of  the  coal  tar 
preparations  will  never  have  mange.  Prevention  is  better  than 
cure.  This  is  one  reason  why  pigs  should  be  either  dipped  or 
thoroughly  wet  with  some  of  the  foregoing  dips  as  a  preventive 
to  any  skin  trouble. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

CASTRATING 

This  is  a  necessary  matter  that  must  be  looked  after,  not  only 
by  the  farmer  who  breeds  for  the  general  market,  but  by  the 
breeder  of  pure-bred  hogs  as  well.  The  best  time  for  this  opera- 
tion is  during  the  early  period  of  the  pig's  life  and  at  weaning 
time,  for  best  results,  and  not  left  until  the  pig  is  six  or  seven 
months  of  age,  or  older.  It  is  not  so  apt  to  be  neglected  by  the 
farmer  or  feeder  of  market  hogs,  as  by  the  breeder  of  pure-breds. 
It  is  astonishing,  however,  in  either  case,  to  see  the  great  improve- 
ment after  early  castration,  compared  to  a  pig  of  the  same  litter 
left  uncastrated.  Some  of  the  greatest  barrows  ever  shown  at  the 
International  Show  in  Chicago  were  selected,  not  so  much  for  their, 
superior  merit  at  weaning  time,  but  because  they  were  not  quite  up 
to  the  standard  to  carry  on  and  sell  as  breeders ;  yet  after  this  op- 
eration their  development  so  far  outstripped  the  litter  mates  that 
there  was  no  comparison.  On  the  other  hand,  how  often  we  see — 
especially  at  shows  where  a  large  amount  of  money  is  put  up  for 
prizes — a  barrow  that  really  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a 
' '  stag, ' '  and  evidently  kept  by  the  breeder  for  a  long  time,  thinking 
he  could  be  sold  for  a  breeder,  but  not  developing  just  right,  he 
was  finally  castrated  and  fitted  for  a  barrow  show.  The  expert 
barrow  Judge,  however,  soon  discovers  this  fact  and  avoids  much 
further  attention  to  him  in  the  ring. 

A  Practical  Method. — Wash  the  parts  clean  with  pure  water  to 
which  has  been  added  any  good  coal  tar  dip,  making  it  rather 
strong,  and  with  a  sharp  knife  make  an  incision  over  both  testicles 
as  small  as  possible,  to  remove  the  testicles,  and  low  down,  so  as 
to  drain  thoroughly.  Press  the  testicles  through  the  openings, 
drawing  the  cords  well  out,  and  scrape  apart  rather  than  cut  them 
off. 

Then,  with  a  soft  cloth,  cover  the  parts  with  full  strength  coal 
tar  dip,  and  if  the  operation  has  been  perfectly  clean,  the  pig  will 
be  entirely  well  in  a  week  or  so,  without  any  bad  after-effects. 

Spaying1. — This  is  an  operation  on  the  female  and  is  not  often 
practiced.  In  fact,  I  seldom  hear  of  a  bunch  of  sows  being  spayed. 
It  is  an  operation  that  requires  much  more  care  and  knowledge, 
than  castration  of  males. 


101 


PROF.  JOHN  M.  EWARD 


HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 
BY  JOHN  M.  EVVARD 

PART  II 

CHAPTER  I 

WHAT  CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION 

It  is  no  easy  matter  to  compound  a  successful  ration  on  paper ;  in 
truth,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  do  so  without  having  had  consider- 
able experience  with  the  different  feeds  and  also  having  at  hand  a 
more  complete  analysis  than  is  ordinarily  given  us  by  the  chemist. 

To  illustrate  that  one  of  our  greatest  feeds,  for  instance  corn,  is 
woefully  incomplete  in  itself,  it  may  be  well  to  mention  a  recent  ex- 
perimental test  by  the  Animal  Husbandry  Section  of  the  Iowa  Ex- 
periment Station  in  which  we  fed  three  groups  of  pigs  in  dry  lots 
as  follows : 

Group  A:  Shelled  corn,  self -fed,  plus  block  salt, 
self-fed. 

Group  B :  Shelled  corn,  self -fed,  plus  bone  mate- 
rial, self-fed,  plus  block  salt,  self- 
fed. 

Group  C :  Shelled  corn,  self -fed,  plus  meat  meal 
tankage  (60  per  cent  protein),  self- 
fed,  plus  block  salt,  self -fed. 

The  pigs  were  started  out  at  the  nice  weanling  weight  of  prac- 
tically 42  pounds,  and  were  fed  150  days.  They  were  more  than 
71/2  months  of  age  at  the  close  of  the  test.  The  pigs  receiving  corn 
only  in  separate  feeders  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  .1  of  a 
pound,  consuming  per  head  daily  1.56  pounds  of  shelled  corn,  in 
addition  to  a  little  salt.  They  weighed  at  the  end  of  the  feeding 
period,  when  they  were  practically  8  months  of  age,  57.34  pounds. 
Think  of  it !  Pigs  weighing  57  pounds  when  8  months  old.  What 
is  the  trouble  ?  Is  it  with  corn  ?  Hardly,  because  corn  is  a  healthful 
feed.  The  big  difficulty  was  that  some  other  things  should  have 
been  provided  in  the  ration  that  were  not,  and  these  should  have 
been  such  as  would  have  supplemented  the  deficiencies  of  corn. 
On  this  corn  ration  it  took  1,446  pounds  of  corn  to  produce  100 
pounds  of  gain,  and,  in  addition  to  this,  a  little  more  than  2  pounds 
of  salt — a  total  of  1,448  pounds  of  feed  for  every  100  pounds  of 
gain  put  on. 

Now  the  addition  of  bonemeal  which  carries  a  little  protein  with 
it  helps  some.  The  pigs  gained  50  percent  more  or  .15  of  a  pound 

103 


104  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

daily,  and  they  had  little  better  appetites,  eating  practically  2 
pounds  of  grain  per  head  daily  and  required  1.297  pounds  of 
corn  plus  10  pounds  of  bone  meal  plus  1  pound  of  salt  for  100 
pounds  of  gain,  a  total  of  1308  pounds  of  feed  approximate- 
ly. There  was  still  something  wrong  because  eight-months-old  pigs 
at  the  close  should  weigh  more  than  these  weighed,  or,  namely,  more 
than  65  pounds. 

The  addition  of  60  percent  protein  meatmeal  tankage  made  a 
vast  difference.  The  pigs  gained  12  times  as  fast  as  where  they  re- 
ceived corn  alone,  making  more  gains  in  one  day  than  the  corn-alone 
pigs  made  in  12,  or  1.21  pounds  daily.  Also  they  ate  three  times  as 
much  feed,  or  4.40  pounds  of  corn  plus  .58  of  a  pound  of  tankage 
plus  a  little  salt — a  total  of  almost  5  pounds,  or,  to  be  exact,  4.98 
pounds ;  requiring  for  each  100  pounds  of  gain  366  pounds  of  corn, 
plus  47  pounds  of  tankage,  plus  a  little  more  than  .1  of  a  pound  of 
salt,  or,  practically  speaking,  413  pounds  of  feed  for  every  100 
pounds  of  gain. 

These  pigs  weighed  226  pounds  at  the  same  age  as  the  corn-alone 
pigs  or  the  corn-and-bonemeal  pigs,  or  226  as  compared  to  57  and 
65  pounds,  respectively.  Certainly  there  must  be  something  in 
meatmeal  tankage  that  supplies  the  deficiencies  of  corn ;  there  must 
also  be  something  in  the  corn  and  salt  ration  that  is  inadequate. 

To  study  this  matter  more  fully,  let  us  consider  what  we  mean 
by  a  complete  ration,  a  ration  that  is  adequate,  particularly  for 
growing  pigs  and  suckling  sows  with  litters. 

A  Complete  Ration. — A  complete  ration  is  relatively  complex. 
It  is  made  up  of  many  factors,  many  of  these  are  unknown  chem- 
ically, unfortunately,  although  we  know  their  action.  Chemical 
analyses,  therefore,  although  difficult  to  make,  are,  ordinarily 
speaking,  only  to  be  considered  as  general  guides.  Why  this  is  so 
we  shall  make  plain  shortly.  Feeds  vary  considerably,  particularly 
pasture  feeds.  Young  bluegrass,  for  instance,  may  come  out  in  the 
early  spring  running  as  high  as  40  percent  protein  in  the  young  dry 
matter ;  and  later  it  may  contain  only  10  percent  of  protein  in  the 
old  dry  matter;  that  is,  after  it  becomes  dry,  hard  and  woody. 
This  protein  in  the  mature  plant  is  certainly  not  the  same  as  the 
protein  in  the  young,  tender,  luscious  green  growth.  There  are 
proteins  and  proteins,  so  many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  them  that 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  conceive  of  their  complexity.  Actually 
different  combinations  are  difficult  to  work  out,  unless  they  are  ex- 
perimentally tried  out,  and  it  has  been  our  policy  at  Ames  for  a 
number  of  years  to  try  out  various  combinations  in  practice  and 
see  what  they  will  do,  and  then  learn  from  our  experiences  with 
them. 

Let  us  remember  before  passing  to  the  factors  that  make  up  an 
adequate  diet  that  a  ration  may  be  good  because  of  the  absence  or 
presence  of  an  undesirable  or  desirable  quality  respectively,  or  bad 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION  105 

because  of  the  absence  of  an  essential  or  because  of  the  presence  of  a 
non-essential.  It  is  futile,  therefore,  to  try  to  look  for  a  material 
something,  specific  in  the  corn  ration,  that  is  causing  difficulty  with 
pigs,  so  experience  teaches  us.  We  want  to  look  for  something  that 
is  to  be  found  somewhere  else,  and  add  it  to  the  corn  ration,  and 
thus  overcome  the  difficulty. 

Balancing  a  Ration. — When  we  balance  rations  we  must  re- 
member that  the  demands  of  animals  change.  A  young,  growing 
pig  requires  an  entirely  different  ration  than  the  same  pig  after  it 
has  reached  maturity  and  is  ready  to  go  to  market.  The  brood  sow 
during  gestation  requires  different  feeding  than  the  same  sow  dur- 
ing the  suckling  period,  and  so  on.  The  weather  and  external  fac- 
tors are  of  some  importance,  for  instance,  cold  weather  may  have 
its  particular  demands  for  heat-producing  feeds.  After  all,  there  is 
a  great  possibility  of  combinations  that  will  work,  and  it  is  surpris- 
ing how  many  good  combinations  there  are  when  we  come  to  study- 
ing feeding. 

The  making  up  and  feeding  of  a  swine  ration  may  be  compared 
to  the  building  of  an  automobile.  We  need  building  material  to 
make  a  pig,  such  as  protein  which  makes  up  the  muscle,  part  of 
the  bone,  some  of  the  hide,  the  hair,  and  so  on ;  calcium  phosphate 
or  bone  ash,  which  will  help  build  the  bone ;  fat,  which  will  act  as 
a  bodily  reserve,  cushion,  and  perform  other  functions.  These  mate- 
rials are  necessary.  In  the  automobile  we  need  steel,  iron,  wood 
and  other  materials.  The  pig  needs  fuel  or  feed  to  "keep  him 
going.*'  It  is  supplied  by  corn,  milk,  alfalfa,  rape,  and  so  on,  the 
auto  engine  taking  gasoline.  The  pig  takes  water  and  air  to  cool 
himself,  and  the  engine  uses  for  the  same  purpose  the  same  mate- 
rial. The  pig  has  nerves  in  his  body  to  transmit  his  impulses ;  the 
automobile  has  electric  wires.  The  pig  has  lungs  to  mix  the  gasses, 
and  take  out  of  them  what  is  necessary,  while  the  engine  has  its 
carburetor.  The  pig  has  various  organs  that  tend  to  keep  things  in 
tune,  rightly  timed,  such  as  certain  portions  of  the  brain  and  so 
on,  and  the  engine  has  a  timer.  The  pig  has  nerve-endings  in  the 
muscle  and  in  other  tissues  that  really  may,  in  a  sense,  be  consid- 
ered as  a  seat  of  activity,  whereas  the  engine  has  spark  plugs, 
where  the  vital  spark  that  sets  the  whole  thing  in  motion  is  set  off. 

The  engine  to  run  right  must  be  in  perfect  order,  all  parts  com- 
plete. So  a  ration  to  serve  the  highest  function  must  be  almost 
perfectly  compounded — all  factors  must  be  present  and  in  the  prop- 
er proportion  if  the  pig  fed  thereon  is  to  gain  the  fastest  and  in 
the  least  possible  time.  But  what  are  the  essential  factors  of  grow- 
ing rations  for  pigs  ? 

The  Function  of  Water. — First,  water — water  in  abundance. 
Water  performs  among  others  these  functions:  Supplies  building 
material ;  regulates  the  heat  through  evaporation,  ingestion,  and  ex- 
cretion ;  acts  as  a  solvent,  thus  facilitating  chewing  and  swallowing. 
Water  furnishes  some  68  or  more  pounds  out  of  pigs  and  other  ani- 


106  HOW  TO  PEED  YOUR  HOGS 

mals7  blood.  It  is  a  cleanser,  promoting  laxative  effects  and  thus  in- 
directly ridding  the  body  of  undesirable  products.  Animals  nearly 
always  void  more  water  in  the  excreta  than  they  take  in  the  solid 
food.  Water,  therefore,  is  very  essential,  and  should  not  be 
neglected. 

Protein  Another  Essential. — Protein  of  good  quality  must  be 
present.  There  are  proteins  and  proteins.  Proteins  are  made  out 
of  18  different  building  stones  called  ammo-acids,  and  these  18 
basal  elements  are  combined  and  re-combined  in  various  and  diverse 
ways  so  as  to  make  a  large  number  of  proteins,  the  number  running 
into  hundreds  of  thousands.  By  quality  we  mean  that  the  right  pro- 
portion of  these  proteins  and  building  stones  should  be  present,  one 
as  compared  to  another,  and  it  is  highly  important  that  the  protein 
mixture  should  be  commensurate  with  the  needs  of  the  organism 
that  consumes  it. 

Only  those  amino-acids  which  are  necessary  for  growth  and  de- 
velopment should  be  present,  or  else  their  precursors;  that  is,  the 
amino-acids  which  can  be  rebuilt  into  the  essential  ones,  although 
this  is  probably  done  only  to  a  limited  extent.  To  give  a  better 
idea  of  this  the  protein  quality,  zein,  which  comprises  about  half  of 
the  proteins  of  corn,  is  poor  because  this  particular  protein  does 
not  have  any  tryptophane  or  lysine  in  its  make-up,  and  these  two 
amino-acids  are  absolutely  essential  to  growth  and  development. 
"When  one  balances  up  corn,  therefore,  he  must  look  to  those  feeds 
that  contain  these  two  amino-acids  particularly.  That  is  why  one 
looks  to  milk,  and  meat  products,  and  alfalfa  pasture,  and  rape 
pasture,  and  young  tender  bluegrass  to  supply  these  deficiencies. 

The  protein  quantity  must  be  right.  There  must  be  enough  of 
the  right  " quality  mixture/'  and  this  quantity  will  vary  as  the 
feeding  period  progresses.  It  will  be  different  when  the  animal  is 
young  compared  to  when  it  is  old  and  mature.  The  amino-acids 
that  are  in  greatest  demand  in  younger  life  are  not  so  badly  needed 
in  later  life,  neither  from  the  relatively  qualitative  nor  the  quanti- 
tative standpoint.  Every  one  knows  that  a  quite  young  growing 
lard  type  pig,  for  instance,  will  require  as  much  as  20  pounds  of 
tankage  with  100  pounds  of  corn  in  a  drylot,  but  the  same  pig  when 
he  weighs  300  pounds  only  takes  a  pound  or  two  of  tankage  with  100 
pounds  of  corn.  Now  to  reverse  this  process  and  give  1  percent 
tankage  when  the  pigs  are  young  and  gradually  increase  it  to  20 
percent  when  they  are  old,  would  be  to  turn  things  topsy  turvy,  and 
to  promote  inefficiency. 

Minerals  Must  Be  Present. —  Mineral  quality  is  highly  import- 
ant. We  must  have  the  right  kinds  of  minerals  present  in  the  proper 
proportion  one  to  the  other.  It  is  essential  that  such  minerals' 
as  calcium,  a  material  that  forms  40  percent  of  the  dry  ash  of  bone ; 
and  phosphorus,  one  of  the  basal  elements  of  bone  and  essential  to 
bodily  development;  and  sulphur,  a  constituent  of  the  proteins; 
and  magnesium,  for  general  metabolism ;  and  sodium,  absolutely  in- 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION  107 

dispensable  for  correct  stimulation  of  the  heart  and  other  tissues; 
and  others  that  are  of  great  importance  be  present.  Calcium  and 
phosphorus  of  course  can  be  had  in  bonemeal;  the  sodium  can  be 
secured  in  common  salt,  and  so  on.  Nearly  all  of  these  minerals 
are  present  in  most  feeds,  but  most  feeds  are  always  deficient  in  cer- 
tain ones,  such  as  corn  for  instance,  or  wheat,  or  rye,  or  barley; 
in  truth,  there  are  only  a  few  feeds  that  contain  approximately  cor- 
rect mineral  quality,  and  one  of  these  is  milk.  Others  that  are  good 
are  alfalfa  pasture  or  rape  pasture,  particularly  when  these  two 
are  combined  with  corn.  That  minerals  be  present  in  the  proper 
proportion  one  to  the  other  is  essential,  but  there  must  be  enough 
of  each  to  supply  the  demands  of  the  particular  pig  that  is  being 
fed. 

Certain  Vitainines  Needed. — A  peculiar  chemical  unknown 
vvhich  is  labeled  fat  soluble  A,  must  of  necessity  be  present,  else  the 
pig  will  not  thrive.  This  particular  material  we  know  the  action  of. 
but  we  do  not  know  its  chemical  constituents.  We  know  that  under 
certain  conditions  it  is  soluble  in  fat,  as  it  was  first  discovered  in 
butterfat ;  hence  the  reason  for  its  name.  We  have  also  found  it  in 
egg  yolk  and  in  the  lighter  fractions  of  beef  fat,  but  not  in  lard, 
nor  in  olive  oil,  nor  in  cottonseed  oil.  A  little  is  apparently  present 
in  corn  oil,  but  not  enough.  Our  best  swine  feeding  sources  of  this 
material  is  alfalfa  leaves,  rape  leaves,  clover  leaves,  and  most  as- 
suredly milk ;  although  in  milk  this  material,  remember,  is  found  to 
a  large  extent  in  the  butterfat,  being  only  about  one-thirtieth  as 
soluble  in  the  liquid  of  the  milk  as  in  the  fat  portion.  It  has  re- 
cently been  found  that  carrots  contain  this  material  to  the  extent 
of  about  one-third  as  much  as  in  equal  weights  of  butterfat.  It  is 
presumed  that  other  root  crops  carry  this  fat  soluble  A,  and  if  they 
do  here  is  one  reason  for  adding  roots,  for  instance,  to  a  corn  ra- 
tion, but  ordinarily  in  limited  quantity  in  order  to  supply  this 
essential  nutritional  ingredient.  This  is  a  necessary  factor  in  the 
ideally  good  ration. 

There  is  another  peculiar  unknown  chemical  material  or  vita- 
mine  known  as  water  soluble  B.  It  receives  its  name  like  fat 
soluble  A  because  of  its  solubility  properties.  It  was  first  known  to 
be  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  and  some  refer  to  it  by  the  double- 
headed  title  of  water  and  alcohol  soluble  B.  This  particular  factor 
is  found  in  most  grains  and  plants,  but  is  lacking  in  polished  rice, 
for  instance,  and  because  it  is  lacking  in  polished  rice  we  find 
pigeons  and  other  animals  fed  exclusively  thereon  developing  a 
nerve  disease  known  as  polyneuritis,  a  disease  of  many  nerves; 
people  also  get  it.  Peculiarly  enough,  this  material  is  found  in  the 
rice  bran  or  rice  polishings,  but  when  we  use  rice  for  human  con- 
sumption we  take  the  bran  off,  and  then  eat  only  the  white  or  the 
more  fashionable  white  inner  kernel.  Wheat  embryos  are  rich  in 
this  B  material,  and  inasmuch  as  wheat  embryos  are  carried  in  the 
milling  over  to  the  wheat  middlings,  here  is  one  reason  why  wheat 
middlings  may  be  a  good  feed  under  certain  "deficiency  of  water 


108  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

soluble  B"  conditions.  Prof.  McCollum,  of  Wisconsin,  says  in  re- 
gard to  water  soluble  B :  * '  It  is  universally  present  in  foodstuffs 
of  vegetable  and  animal  origin."  Hence,  generally  speaking,  we 
need  not  worry  much  about  its  absence  from  pig  rations,  although 
under  some  certain  conditions  it  may  not  be  present. 

Antiscorbutic  Substances  Seemingly  Necessary. — There  is  an- 
other class  of  materials  known  as  Antiscarbutic  Substances  which 
are  apparently  essential  in  the  diet  or  ration  if  complete  adequacy 
is  to  be  approached.  Oranges,  limes,  grape  fruit,  milk,  meat  meal 
tankage,  alfalfa,  clover  and  other  food  materials  carry  these  sub- 
stances. Orange  juice  is  given  to  babies  that  are  on  a  boiled  and 
raw  milk  diet — because  empirically  it  has  been  found  of  much 
advantage.  Recently  Dr.  Hess  of  New  York  has  shown  that  a  prop- 
erly prepared  juice  solution  of  oranges  could  be  injected  into  the 
veins  of  a  baby  and  cure  scurvy — a  constitutional  condition  which 
results  when  these  Antiscorbutics  are  absent.  We  have  seen  the 
disease  scurvy  in  guinea  pigs  receiving  an  oats  ration.  A  little 
milk  would  not  cure  it  but  much  would  if  the  disease  was  not  too 
far  advanced.  Cabbage  was  a  fine  preventive — hence  presumably 
rape  pasture  is  splendid  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  near  relative  of  cab- 
bage. English  sailors  are  sometimes  called  "Limies"  because  of 
lime  fruit  being  given  to  them  in  their  rations  as  a  preventive 
of  scurvy.  When  finally  these  Antiscorbutics  are  traced  down  to 
their  real  basal  makeup  we  may  find  a  single  substance  doing  the 
work  rather  than  a  number,  two  or  more,  of  the  now  designated 
"Antiscorbutic  Substances." 

Energy  Builders. — Sufficient  net-energy  materials  must  be 
provided.  These  will  furnish  the  energy  materials  for  growth,  for 
general  development,  for  movement,  and  yet  supply  an  excess  for 
conversion  into  fat  and  other  generel  tissues.  In  this  respect,  of 
course,  it  is  best  to  supply  feeds  that  have  a  a  large  amount  of  that 
energy  per  pound  of  feed  consumed,  because  it  takes  fewer  pounds 
of  higher  energy  feed  to  do  the  same  business,  and  inasmuch  as  the 
alimentary  capacity  of  pigs  (as  compared  to  cattle)  is  somewhat 
limited  by  natural  inheritance,  the  more  concentrated  the  feeds, 
other  things  being  equal,  the  more  likely  they  are  to  grow  fast  and 
fatten  quickly.  Timothy  hay,  even  though  properly  balanced  with 
milk,  is  a  poor  feed  for  pigs,  because  it  is  too  coarse  and  fibrous ;  in 
other  words,  too  woody.  It  is  not  concentrated  enough ;  there  is  too 
much  fibre  relatively  in  it.  On  the  other  hand,  corn  or  wheat  are 
very  efficient  because  they  supply  many  more  heat  units  or  energy 
per  pound  weight  than  coarser  materials,  such  as  rough  bran, 
corncobs,  and  other  such  feeds.  Some  feeds  contain  so  much  fibre 
and  are  so  bulky,  that  an  animal  expends  more  on  the  gathering, 
chewing,  swallowing,  digesting  and  assimilating  than  he  gets  out  of 
them.  For  instance,  from  peanut  shells  or  certain  kinds  of  wood 
ground  up,  an  animal  extracts  nourishment  by  eating  these,  but  it 
cost  so  much  to  get  the  nourishment  out  that  he  is  the  loser  rather 
than  the  gainer.  Why  rob  Peter  to  pay  Paul  if  it's  all  in  the 
family? 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION  109 

All  Factors  Must  Be  Combined. — A  correct  relationship,  one 
to  another,  of  all  of  the  factors  named  is  required.  This  is  a  prob- 
lem for  the  wisest  of  sages.  Here  is  where  the  appetite  of  the  pig 
comes  in  splendidly;  oftentimes  because  he  can  select  his  own  ra- 
tion pretty  well.  Of  course  he.  makes  mistakes,  but  under  proper 
conditions  he  usually  gets  there  in  excellent  shape. 

Grind  Hard  Grains. — Suitable  physical  preparation  is  neces- 
sary. Hard  seeds,  such  as  wheat,  should  be  ground  or  soaked,  per- 
haps both,  rye  the  same,  barley  the  same.  Grains  that  have  a  hard 
outer  husk,  such  as  oats,  should  be  well  ground.  Feeds  that  have  an 
outer  coating  that  is  tough  and  fibrous,  such  as  kafir  or  grain  seeds, 
would  need  to  be  finely  comminuted.  Ear  corn  needs  very  little,  if 
any,  preparation  for  young  growing  pigs,  because  they  do  better 
when  they  pick  the  corn  off  the  cob,  and  chew  it  up  themselves, 
than  when  it  is  ground  for  them ;  that  is,  they  make  more  econom- 
ical returns  per  day  and  per  pig.  Some  feeds  require  to  be  cooked, 
like  potatoes,  to  break  down  the  starch  granules,  and  make  the  feed 
more  palatable.  Generally  speaking,  however,  the  right  kinds  of 
physical  preparations  depend  upon  the  objects  sought,  and  would 
need  to  be  given  special  study. 

Now  that  we  have  gone  quickly  over  the  essentials  of  an  ade- 
quate ration,  it  is  well  to  mention  some  things  that  we  should  avoid 
in  making  up  a  mixture  of  feeds  which  we  wish  to  use  so  as  to  get 
the  most  out  of  them. 

Avoid  Poisonous  Substances — First.  We  must  avoid  poison- 
ous materials,  being  careful,  for  instance,  of  cottonseed  meal  for 
this  reason.  We  want  to  be  careful  of  rye,  because  it  sometimes 
contains  ergot,  which  will  cause  trouble — abortion  and  other  disease. 
We  want  to  be  careful  of  salt  brine,  which  meat  comes  out  of,  be- 
cause it  is  poisonous  to  pigs,  if  drunk  in  large  quantities. 

Second.  We  want  to  avoid  excessive  fibre  in  a  pig's  ration.  The 
pig  is  constituted  much  like  the  human  being,  and  can  not  handle 
a  large  amount  of  fibre,  hence  timothy  hay  is  a  poor  feed  for  pigs. 
Oat  straw  makes  a  fair  bedding,  but  it  is  almost  worthless  as  a 
feed.  The  same  is  true  of  rye  and  wheat  straw.  Walnut  shells  and 
hickory  nut  shells  for  the  same  reason  are  not  used  for  swine.  One 
of  the  big  reasons  why  it  takes  sometimes  as  much  as  50  percent 
more  of  standard  wheat  middlings  to  produce  the  same  amount  of 
gain  as  100  pounds  of  concentrated  corn  grain,  is  because  of  the 
greater  amount  of  fibre  present.  Light-weight  oats  are  poor  for 
pigs,  because  of  the  large  amount  of  hull  present,  with  its  corres- 
pondingly high  percentage  of  fibre. 

Third.  We  want  to  stay  away  from  inert  materials  which  place 
a  useless  burden  on  the  organism.  In  this  respect  we  might  men- 
tion sand,  dirt  and  similar  materials.  Of  course  it  may  be  that 
certain  limited  amounts  of  these  so-called  inert  materials,  such  as 
sand  and  certain  kinds  of  earth,  would  be  beneficial,  but  generally 


110  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

speaking  if  a  feed  is  mixed  with  considerable  sand  and  earth,  it  is 
relatively  undesirable. 

Efficient  Use  of  Cereals. — It  is  well  to  know  something  about 
the  proper  use  of  the  cereal  grains  which  are  largely  used  in  pork 
production.  If  you  take  the  grain  or  seed  alone  of  wheat,  or  oats, 
or  corn,  or  barley,  or  rye,  or  kafir,  or  Milo  maize,  and  attempt  to 
make  young  pigs  grow  satisfactorily  on  any  one  of  these,  we  find 
that  when  we  feed  them  alone  there  is  very  little  growth,  and  if  the 
pigs  are  young  enough  and  of  a  very  light  weight  when  we  start, 
many  of  them  may  die.  If  protein  alone  is  added  it  helps  a  little, 
but  not  enough,  and  although  we  get  a  little  growth,  perhaps  an  in- 
crease in  live  weight,  yet  the  ration  is  manifestly  very  inadequate. 
Add  the  Vitamine  Fat  Soluble  A  naturally  mixed  with  butterf  at,  as 
it  actually  is,  and  it  helps  very  little.  Add  a  mineral  mixture  alone 
and  it  helps  some,  but  the  ration  is  inadequate.  Add  protein  and 
yellow  butterf  at  (which  always  carries  the  Fat  Soluble  A)  only,  and 
we  still  do  not  get  desirable  results.  Add  protein  and  mineral  mix- 
ture and  we  get  somewhat  better  results  than  with  protein  alone  or 
the  mineral  mixture  alone,  but  still  unsatisfactory.  Now  if  we  add 
a  correct  mineral  mixture  and  the  material  found  known  as  fat 
soluble  A  (found  in  butterf  at  or  alfalfa  leaves  or  carrots)  and 
also  a  satisfactory  protein  we,  generally  speaking,  get  good  growth 
and  development  because  we  have  supplied  the  grain's  shortcom- 
ings. In  other  words,  all  of  these  deficient  materials  must  be  pres- 
ent at  one  and  the  same  time  in  order  to  give  good  results.  These 
materials,  of  course,  which  the  grains  lack  in  sufficient  quantity, 
must  be  given  with  plenty  of  water,  and  in  the  proper  proportion 
if  optimum  results  are*  to  be  secured. 

If  we  take  all  of  these  above  mentioned  grains  and  mix  them  in 
toto  one  with  another  in  different  and  diverse  proportions,  we 
still  have  an  inadequate  ration.  It  takes  other  feeds  than  these 
grains  to  make  up  the  ration,  so  that  it  is  practical  and  efficient. 
Add  milk  to  any  one  of  these,  or  to  a  mixture  of  any  two  or  more, 
and  you  get  splendid  results,  generally  speaking.  Add  alfalfa  pas- 
ture and  the  results  are  surprising.  Add  meatmeal  tankage  and 
the  results  are  splendid.  That  is  because  milk,  and  alfalfa  pasture, 
and  meatmeal  tankage  contain  all  of  the  different  deficient  mate- 
rials, and  thus  in  practice  the  allowance  of  the  deficiencies  is  sim- 
plified, because  we  know  that  certain  feeds  are  rich  in  just  the  nec- 
essary nutritional  materials  that  go  to  balance  the  grains. 

Commonly,  the  quality  and  quantity  of  the  proteins  of  these  or- 
dinary grains  are  improved  greatly  by  the  leaves  of  plants,  such  as 
those  mentioned,  or  the  plants  of  alfalfa,  rape,  red  clover,  young 
tender  bluegrass,  sweet  clover,  white  clover,  Alsike  clover,  and 
others.  The  meat  by-products  overcome  these  deficiencies,  partic- 
ularly when  allowed  in  the  form  of  meatmeal  tankage ;  bloodmeal  is 
also  of  importance.  Fortunately  the  fat  soluble  A  material  can 
also  be  secured  in  milk,  and  the  leaves  of  plants,  and  to  a  con- 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION  111 

siderable  extent  in  meatmeal  tankage,  if  properly  prepared.  The 
mineral  material  is  also  supplied  by  the  leaves  of  plants,  the 
milks,  meatmeal  tankage,  and  also  may  be  furnished  directly  by  the 
use  of  ordinary  mineral  mixtures  made  up  of  limestone,  bonemeal, 
sulphur,  wood  ashes,  Glauber's  salts,  common  salt,  and  so  on. 

Prof.  McCollum,  pioneer  in  biological  nutrition  investigations, 
has  recently  written :  ' '  It  is  not  possible  to  make  up  a  diet,  derived 
solely  from  the  seeds  of  plants,  which  will  support  normal  growth 
and  health. "  It  is  presumed  of  course  that  the  animals  will  be  fed 
on  a  mineral-free  water  or,  as  McCollum  puts  it,  ''Provided  salt- 
free  or  nearly  salt-free  water,  such  as  rain  water,  distilled  water  and 
some  of  the  pure  and  natural  waters  used  for  drinking." 

Plant  Leaves  Balance  Rations. — Prof.  McCollum,  now  with 
Johns  Hopkins  University  in  Baltimore,  has  done  a  wonderful  work 
to  simplify  the  principles  of  nutrition.  He  is  a  great  believer,  be- 
cause of  being  made  so  by  the  results  of  his  invesigations,  in  the 
leaves  of  plants  for  the  balancing  of  grain  feeds.  So  are  good 
practical  swinemen.  They  have  long  since  learned  that  the  leaves 
of  plants,  particularly  the  leguminous  plants,  alfalfa,  red  clover, 
rape,  green  tender  bluegrass  and  peanuts,  are  of  great  importance 
in  balancing  the  swine  grain  ration,  and  in  speaking  of  this  we  can 
not  but  well  again  quote  from  this  noted  authority : 

"Pigs  have  in  farm  practice  frequently  been  stunted  and  repro- 
duction has  been  interfered  with  as  the  result  of  being  fed  too 
largely  on  seeds  and  by-products  of  seeds  when  confined  in  pens 
nearly  free  from  vegetation.  Under  these  conditions  they  get  an 
inorganic  supply  (mineral)  which  is  not  of  suitable  character,  and 
run  short  of  the  unidentified  growth  stimulant  factor,  fat  soluble  A. 
In  many  cases  they  also  receive  proteins  of  relatively  poor  quality. 
These  dietary  faults  are  sufficient  to  undermine  the  health  of  the 
animal.  When,  however,  the  leaf  is  fed  with  seed,  highly  successful 
nutrition  has  been  secured.  Simple  mixtures  such  as  60  per  cent  of 
rolled  oats  with  40  percent  of  alfalfa  flour,  prepared  by  grinding 
and  sifting  the  dried  leaves,  were  capable  of  promoting  normal 
growth  and  well-being  when  fed  throughout  life.  The  reason  for 
this  is  clear.  The  leaf  portion  supplies  the  fat  soluble  essential  in 
which  the  seed  is  deficient,  and  also  makes  good  the '  particular 
mineral  elements  contained  in  insufficient  amounts  in  the  seed. 
Similar  mixtures  of  wheat  or  corn  with  alfalfa-leaf  flour,  promote 
the  well-being  of  animals  in  a  manner  which  we  have  never  been 
able  to  successfully  imitate  with  mixtures  of  seeds." 

Let  us  say  to  Prof.  McCollum.  in  these  respects  that  swinemen 
have  long  ago  found  out  that  what  he  says  is  true  gospel  in  that 
alfalfa  is  most  thoroughly  appreciated,  as  is  red  clover,  in  the  great 
corn-alfalfa  regions  of  the  west  and  eastern  sections ;  in  truth,  in 
all  sections  where  alfalfa  and  clover  are  grown  and  used  for  swine 
feeding. 


112  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

Without  making  this  discussion  too  technical,  it  is  well  to  present 
the  representative  chemical  analyses  which  will  give  the  swine 
feeder  an  idea  as  to  the  amount  of  water,  protein  (muscle,  bone, 
hide,  hair,  hoof,  and  nerve-builders) ;  carbohydrates,  fibre  excluded 
(a  material  that  furnishes  the  energy  that  is  converted  into  work 
and  fat) ;  crude  fibre  (the  stuff  that  is  not  very  valuable  for  swine 
feeding,  in  truth,  only  a  little  of  it  is  needed,  excepting  perhaps  in 
satisfying  the  appetite  or  capacity  of  the  brood  sow,  and  it  is  easy 
to  even  overdo  with  her) ;  fat,  called  sometimes  ether  extract  (a 
material  that  is.  converted  into  animal  fat  In  the  body  or  may  be 
used  to  furnish  heat  or  to  furnish  energy  for  work) ;  and  mineral 
matter  (ash)  (the  stuff  that  makes  up  bone,  that  furnishes  the  stim- 
ulants that  keep  the  heart  beating  and  the  blood  moving  and  all  of 
that  sort  of  thing) .  Of  course  in  this  table  no  attempt  is  made  to 
distinguish  between  the  different  kinds  of  proteins,  or  fats,  or  to 
show  just  how  the  mineral  matter  is  made  up,  but  in  general  the 
analyses  as  given  are  those  customarily  presented  in  standard  works 
on  feeding  and  are  helpful  in  teaching  one  to  appreciate  in  general 
how  feeds  are  made  up  chemically. 

Carbohydrate  Equivalent. — In  addition  to  these  constituents 
there  is  given  the  carbohydrates  or  starch  equivalent  which  is  se- 
cured by  adding  together  the  carbohydrates,  fibre  and  fat  (multi- 
plying the  fat,  however,  by  2.25).  This  summation  is  known  as 
the  carbohydrate  or  starch  equivalent.  This  represents  in  a  way 
the  gross  possible  fattening  materials  present,  although  it  gives 
but  little  indication  as  to  how  much  energy  is  needed  to  con- 
vert these  into  growth  and  fat.  The  protein  of  a  feed  may  be 
used,  when  an  excess  is  present,  in  the  making  of  fat,  or  for  furnish- 
ing energy,  but  in  practice  protein,  being  quite  expensive  relatively, 
had  best  not  be  purposely  fed  in  great  excess,  although  plenty 
for  normal  use  should  be  present.  There  is  also  given  the  ratio  or 
number  of  pounds  of  fattening  material  present  with  every  pound 
of  protein.  This  is  quite  useful  in  that  it  shows  which  feeds  are  of 
a  narrow  ratio,  and  which  may  be  used  in  balancing  the  grain  ra- 
tions that  have  wide  ratio.  For  instance,  corn  has  a  wide  ratio  of 
7.9,  according  to  these  round  figures.  Now  to  balance  it  for  young 
growing  pigs  one  would  need  to  feed  with  it  such  feeds  as  tankage 
with  a  narrow  ratio  of  .53,  or  skimmilk,  with  a  ratio  of  1.3,  or 
buttermilk,'  with  a  ratio  of  1.3,  or  bloodmeal,  with  a  ratio  of  .04. 

This  table  can  be  used  as  reference,  and  should  be  particularly 
studied  from  the  standpoint  of  the  water  content  of  feeds  because 
the  more  water  a  feed  has  in  it,  other  things  being  equal,  the  less  its 
net  value.  Remember,  it  is  the  dry  matter  that  counts.  A  feed 
which  is  marked  7  percent  water,  such  as  meatmeal  tankage,  has 
93  pounds  of  dry  matter  in  every  100,  whereas  skimmilk,  which  has 
90  percent  water,  has  only  10  pounds  of  dry  matter  in  100.  Of 
course  we  would  not  expect  100  pounds  of  skimmilk  to  be  as  valuable 
with  only  10  pounds  of  dry  matter  in  it  as  100  pounds  of  meatmeal 
tankage,  with  93  pounds  of  dry  matter  in  the  same  weight.  Man- 
gels, for  instance,  contain  91  percent  water  or  only  9  pounds  of  dry 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION 


113 


matter  in  100  pounds  of  roots.  Now  roots  are-  good  feeds,  but  they 
are  very  bulky  because  of  their  high  water  content.  A  pound  of 
potatoes  ordinarily  will  go  much  further  than  a  pound  of  mangels, 
because  in  every  100  pounds  there  is  present  21  pounds  of  dry  mat- 
ter or  over  two  times  as  much  as  the  9  pounds  in  the  same  weight 
of  mangels. 

SWINE  FEEDS— COMPOSITION 

To  Be  Used  as  a  General  Guide 

Most  feeds  vary  enough  so  that  figuring  them  to  the  2nd  decimal 
point  is  not  a  reasonable  procedure.  (All  figures  given  in  round 
numbers  of  pounds  to  the  hundred.) 

Basal  Feeds 


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Corn  (Indian  maize),  grain  
Corn  and  cob  meal  

14 
14 

10 
8 

68 
64 

2 
8 

4 
4 

2 
2 

79.0 
81.0 

7.9 
10.1 

Barley  

12 

12 

67 

5 

2 

2 

76  5 

6  4 

Wheat  

11 

12 

71 

2 

2 

2 

77  5 

6  3 

Rye...:  

12 

11 

71 

2 

2 

2 

77  5 

7  0 

Sweet  sorghum  seed  

13 

9 

70 

2 

-4 

2 

81  0 

9  0 

Kafir  corn 

12 

10 

71 

2 

2 

7O  8 

Milo  maize  

12 

10 

71 

2 

3 

2 

79  8 

8  0 

Feterita  

12 

11 

72 

1 

3 

1 

79  6 

7  2 

Hominy  feed  (fat  extracted)  
Hominy  feed,  ordinary  
Emmer  or  speltz  '.  

11 
11 

12 

11 
10 

I'l 

66 
63 

61 

6 
6 
10 

4 
9 

2 

2 
2 
4 

81.0 
89.3 
75.5 

7.4 
8.9 
6.9 

Potatoes  .      .    . 

79 

2 

18 

1 

180 

9  0 

Peanut  kernels  

8 

26 

17 

2 

45 

2 

120  3 

4  6 

114 


HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

Supplementary  Feeds 


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Js'g'S 

rt 

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Protein  (Muscl 
Hide,  Hoot,  Ne 
Bone  Builders). 

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Fat  (Ether  Ext 

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III 

*^&35  c 

O  a)  Mn, 
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Meatmeal  tankage,  high-protein  
Meatmeal  tankage,  low-protein  
Whole  milk  

7 
7 
86 
90 

60 
40 
4 
4 

5 
10 
5 
5 

2 
4 
0 
0 

11 
11 
4 

15 
28 
1 
1 

31.8 
38.8 
14.0 
5.0 

0.53 
0.97 
3.5 
1.3 

Buttermilk  
Linseed  oil  meal   old  process     ...    . 

90 
10 

4 
33 

5 
36 

0 
8 

"7" 

1 
6 

5.0 
59.8 

1.3 
1.8 

Q 

85 

2 

1 

3 

3  0 

0  04 

Soy  beanmeal         .      .         .        

12 

33 

29 

4 

17 

<; 

71.3 

2.2 

10 

25 

56 

5 

1 

3 

63  3 

2  5 

Peanut  meal  (without  hulls)  
Peanut  meal  with  hulls 

8 
8 

42 
35 

23 
22 

8 
22 

14 
9 

5 
4 

62.5 
64  3 

1.5 
1   8 

Oats  
Oatmeal,  without  hulls  

12 
9 
11 

12 
14 
18 

55 
66 
58 

12 
3 

4 

5 

6 

5 

4 
2 
4 

78.3 
82.5 
73  3 

6.5 
5.9 
4  1 

Middlings,  standard,  wheat  

11 
10 

17 
16 

56 

54 

7 
10 

4 
4 

5 
'  6 

72.0 
73  0 

4.2 
4  6 

Cottonseed  meal,  high  grade  

8 
13 

42 
23 

25 
52 

10 
6 

7 
2 

6 

4 

50.8 
62  5 

1.2 

2   7 

Gluten  feed,  corn  
Gluten  meal,  corn 

10 
9 

26 
36 

51 

48 

7 

2 

4 
4 

2 
1 

67.0 
59.0 

2.6 
l.fc 

Oilcake  meal,  corn  
Alfalfa  hay,  very  high  grade,  leafy  .... 
Alfalfa  leaves  

9 
12 
10 

22 
20 
24 

47 
37 
38 

10 
20 
1? 

10 
3 

2 
9 
13 

79.5 
61.5 
56.8 

3.6 
3.1 

2.4 

Clover,  red,  hay,  high  grade  

12 
80 

16 

2 

41 
15 

20 
1 

4 

7 
2 

70.0 
16  0 

4.4 
8  0 

Beet  sugar  

83 
89 

2 
1 

13 

7 

1 
1 

1 
1 

14.0 
8  0 

7.0 
8  0 

Mangel  wurtzel  
Sweet  potato 

91 
70 

1 

2 

6 

25 

1 
1 

.... 

1 

1 

7.0 

28.3 

-70' 

14  2 

Miscellaneous  Feeds 


.£1 

2§ 

21*1? 

J, 

i  "g  --~  6 

HH  d 

j§*| 

<^ 

<j  "Ms 

g 

0-3.  2£ 

IJU 

"rt 

I 

jsjf! 

t-c  •£     . 

*^ws  ^ 

\ 

Water. 

<3«*-T  ^ 

2-^1 

Carbohydrat 
Excluded) 
Material). 

Crude  Fibre 
(Gives  Bulk) 

1 

B 

CO 

Mineral  Ma 
(Bone  Buil 
Stimulating 

fl 

t  2'3-S 
i||  i,| 

Cobmeal,  corn  

1? 

2 

50 

34 

2 

84.0 

42.0 

Bran,  corn  

10 

10 

62 

10 

6 

2 

85.5 

8.6 

Hulls  oat 

8 

4 

50 

30 

2 

6 

84.5 

21.2 

Apples  

82 

16 

1 

1- 

19.3 

19.3 

Acorns   entire 

30 

3  . 

43 

19 

4 

1 

71.0 

23.7 

Acorn,  kernel  . 

V 

4 

47 

9 

6 

1 

69.5 

17.4 

Hulls,  peanut 

9 

7 

19 

S7 

6 

80.5 

11.5 

Note: — Less  than  one  (1)  is  indicated  with  a  —  or sign. 

Some  very  practical  points,  fundamentally  practical,  have  been 
covered,  but  yet  when  it  comes  to  feed  practice  it  is  difficult  to  re- 
member all  of  these  various  and  diverse  details,  so  therefore  we 
will  proceed  to  more,  practical  feed  lot  considerations. 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION  115 

To  Balance  a  Ration. — In  balancing  the  ration  we  must,  after 
selecting  the  right  feeds — feeds  that,  properly  compounded,  sup- 
ply the  main  essentials  of  the  ration — pay  attention  to  the  mixing 
of  the  feeds,  so  that  they  will  be  rich  enough  in  protein  to  do  what 
is  expected  of  them.  We  must  take  into  consideration  other  essen- 
tials, such  as  the  quality  of  protein,  the  presence  of  fat  soluble  A, 
and  water  soluble  B,  and  so  on,  but  by  using  certain  feeds  we  can 
be  fairly  certain  that  we  are  supplying  these  main  essentials ;  hence 
with  the  right  feeds,  if  we  combine  them  so  as  to  have  the  ration 
rich  enough  in  protein,  we  shall  get  along  pretty  well.  It  must  be 
remembered,  though,  that  we  must  " mellow*'  our  figures  with  the 
learned  results  of  experience — experience  which  is  one  of  our  most 
valuable  teachers. 

In  the  table  of  analyses  we  give  the  corn  ratio  as  7.9,  which 
really  means  that  with  every  pound  of  protein  present  in  corn  there 
is  mixed  with  it  7.9  pounds  of  carbohydrates  or  their  equivalent. 
The  ratio,  which  in  this  case  is  a  crude  ratio  and  not  nutritive  (be- 
cause it  is  based  upon  crude  and  not  digestible  nutrients),  is  se- 
cured by  dividing  the  number  of  pounds  of  protein  into  the  carbo- 
hydrate equivalent,  which  carbohydrate  equivalent  is  secured  by 
adding  the  carbohydrates  (68  pounds  in  100)  to  the  fibre  (2  pounds 
in  100)  and  to  the  fat  (4  pounds  of  fat  in  100,  times  2.25  equals 
9  pounds  of  carbohydrate  equivalent,  because  we  find  that  in 
practice  that  a  pound  of  fat  is  equivalent  to  about  21/4  times  a 
pound  of  starches  or  other  carbohydrates  in  feeding  value). 

Add  these  figures,  68  plus  2  plus  9,  and  we  have  79  pounds  of 
carbohydrate  equivalent  in  100  pounds  of  14  percent  moisture  corn. 
The  79  pounds,  which  in  this  case  includes  very  little  fibre,  will 
give  practically  the  same  results  as  if  all  were  carbohydrate.  Of 
course  we  must  remember  that  the  fibre  for  pig  feeding  is  really  of 
practically  little  value,  hence  not  the  equivalent  of  starches  or 
sugars.  Now,  take  this  79  pounds  and  divide  by  10,  the  number  of 
pounds  of  protein,  and  we  have  the  figure  which  is  the  ratio,  7.9. 
Now  this  corn  ratio  is  called  a  "wide"  one,  being  unsuitable  for 
growing  pigs  or  suckling  sows  or  young  boars  because  there  is  too 
little  protein  in  proportion  to  the  fat-forming  elements,  or,  stated 
conversely,  too  much  carbohydrates  or  their  equivalent  for  the 
amount  of  muscle,  hide,  hoof,  nerve,  hair  and  bone  builders,  or 
namely,  protein,  present. 

There  is  one  class  of  hogs — fattening  brood  sows  discarded  from 
the  breeding  pen — which  in  addition  to  the  real  heavy,  well-grown, 
mature  stock  or  store  hogs,  that  can  do  quite  well  for  a  short  time 
on  such  a  wide  ratio.  This  wide  ratio  is  also  all  right  for  mainte- 
nance of  mature  swine.  We  find  in  practice,  and  this  is  borne  out  by 
experiments,  that  corn  alone  for  the  finishing  off  period  on  such 
heavy,  well-grown  sows  or  other  fairly  mature  stock  in  the  swine 
lots  is  all  right  for  a  limited  period.  Generally  speaking,  however, 
practically  for  all  swine  classes,  more  protein  must  be  added  to 
corn,  and  incidentally  more  of  the  other  essentials  of  a  good  ration, 
to  get  ' '  results  that  count. ' ' 


116 


HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 


What  ratio  should  we  figure  on  feed  for  the  different  classes  of 
swine  ?  We  can  only  give  this  approximately  because  it  varies,  de- 
pending largely  on  the  quality  of  protein,  and  character  of  the 
carbohydrate  equivalent,  but  assuming  a  rather  good  quality  of 
protein  present,  and  average  carbohydrate  equivalents,  we  find 
that  the  approximate  practical  ratio  to  allow  different  classes  of 
swine  is,  in  general,  as  follows : 


Class  of  Swine 

Weight, 
Approximate, 
Pounds 

Ratio,  or  Number 
of  Pounds  of  Carbo- 
hydrate Equivalent 
With  Every  Pound 
of  Protein 

Pounds  60%  Meatmeal 
Tankage  Necessary  to 
Feed  with  100  Pounds  of 
Corn  Grain  in  Order  to 
Make  the  Approximate 
Ratio  Named 

Pregnant  gilts  

200-350 

4.5-5.0 

10-15 

Pregnant    sows,    yearlings    or 

350-600 

5  5-6  0 

6-8 

Suckling  sows  with  litters  
Growing  and  fattening  hogs  .  .  . 

Breeding  pigs  

200-600 
30-100 
100-150 
150-200 
200-250 
250-300 
300-350 
30-100 

3.5-5.0 
3.5-4.0 
4.5 
5.0 
6.0 
7.~ 
8.0 
3.5-4.0 

11-25 
18-25 
15 
11 
6 
1--2 
0-1 
18-25 

Boars,  young  

100-150 
150-200 
200-250 
250-300 
300-350 
300-500 
500-1000 

4.5 
5.0 
5.5 
6.5 
7.0 
5.5-6.5 
6  0-7  0 

15 
11 
8 
4 
2-3 
4-8 
2  6 

It  is  to  be  re-emphasized  that  these  figures  are  approximate,  but 
nevertheless  they  can  be  used  as  a  good  general  guide.  Remember, 
that  this  is  drylot  feeding.  On  pasture  it  is  well  to  follow  the  rec- 
ommendations given  for  pasture  as  to  the  amount  of  tankage  or 
its  equivalent.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  pigs  on  pastures  get 
most  of  the  protein  from  them,  particularly  if  the  pasture  be  al- 
falfa, rape,  red  clover,  green  rye,  green  wheat,  or  young  tender 
bluegrass,  and  it  is  ordinarily  difficult  to  estimate  just  how  much 
material  pigs  get  from  such  pastures;  hence  we  have  to  approxi- 
mate the  ratios  to  allow  on  them,  basing  our  figures  largely  on  our 
practical  experience. 

Ratio  for  Breeding  Pigs. — In  order  to  convert  the  tankage  in 
the  above  table  into  skimmilk,  multiply  by  approximately  20.  For 
instance,  breeding  pigs  require  ratio  of  about  3.5  to  4.0,  which  is 
secured  by  allowing  25  to  18  pounds  of  tankage  with  every  100 
pounds  of  corn.  If  skimmilk  is  used,  it  will  take  twenty  times  as 
much  as  the  25  to  18  of  tankage  or  500  to  300  pounds  of  milk  with 
every  100  pounds  of  corn,  or  from  about  5  to  3%  pounds  of  milk 
(skim  or  butter)  with  every  pound  of  corn  grain.  This  conver- 
sion is  not  absolutely  accurate,  but  it  is  approximately  what  we 
wish,  and  should  give  good  general  results. 

One  can  now  figure  for  himself  on  the  basis  of  what  has  been 
said  any  ration  that  he  wishes.  Suppose  you  have  pigs  weighing 
75  to  100  pounds  to  feed.  Look  on  the  table  and  you  will  find  that 


WHAT   CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION 


117 


this  will  require  a  ratio  of  close  to  4.  Let  us  call  it  4,  for  general 
purposes,  and  figure  out  a  ration  on  the  basis  of  this  ratio.  We 
have  available  corn  grain,  flour  middlings,  and  60  percent  protein 
meatmeal  tankage.  The  first  thing  to  do  after  determining  the 
ratio  is  to  look  up  the  analyses  for  these  three  feeds,  marking  down 
the  protein  and  carbohydrate  equivalents  in  separate  columns, 
thus: 


Pounds  in 

a  Hundred 

Protein  - 

Equivalent 

10 

79 

18 

73.3 

60 

31.8 

A  practical  man  knows  about  how  these  materials  should  be  fed 
in  feeding  young  pigs.  Let  us  go  on  the  basis  of  using  100  pounds 
of  corn,  mixing  with  it  or  feeding  along  with  it  whatever  we  need 
of  the  two  different  feeds — wheat-flour  middlings  and  meatmeal 
tankage — to  build  the  whole  ration  up,  or  to  balance  the  corn.  We 
will  decide  off-hand  that  we  want  to  feed  50  pounds  of  middlings 
with  100  pounds  of  corn ;  so  that  is  definite.  It  will  be  necessary, 
then,  to  feed  considerable  tankage  to  bring  the  ratio  right.  Let  us 
now  figure  the  ratio  of  the  mixture  composed  of  100  pounds  of  corn 
and  50  pounds  of  wheat  flour  middlings. 


Pounds  in  A  Howance 


i  ne  casai  Allowance,  rounds 

Protein 

Carbohydrate 

In  100  pounds  of  corn  grain  
In  50  pounds  wheat  middlings,  50%  or  one-half  as  much  as  in 
100  pounds  

10.0 
9.0 

79.0 
36.6 

In  150  pounds  of  the  mixture  

19.0 

115.6 

The  ratio  secured,  therefore,  is  6.08,  got  by  dividing  115.6  by 
19.  This  is  not  rich  enough  in  protein.  It  will  be  necessary  to  add 
some  high-protein  tankage  to  the  mixture.  Let  us  add  10  pounds 
and  see  how  it  figures : 


The  New  Mixture 

Protein 

Carbohydrate 
Equivalent 

In  150  pounds  of  mixture  (100  pounds  corn  plus  50  pounds  mid- 
dlings 

19  0 

115  6 

In  10  pounds  meatmeal  tankage    

6.0 

3.2 

Total  in  150  pounds  of  the  mixture  plus  10  pounds  tankage  

25.0 

118.8 

Pounds  in  Allowance 


This  gives  a  ratio  of  4.75,  which  is  secured  by  dividing  118.8  by 
25.  The  mixture  is  still  not  rich  enough  in  protein,  hence  we  shall 
have  to  add  some  more  tankage.  Let  us,  therefore,  add  10  pounds 
more  of  tankage  to  the  new  mixture,  which  we  have  made  up,  so  that 
instead  of  having  100  pounds  of  corn,  50  pounds  of  middlings  and 
10  pounds"  of  tankage,  we  shall  have  10  pounds  more  of  tankage 
added  thereto.  The  figures  for  this  follow:" 


118  HOW  TO  PEED  YOUR  HOGS 


Pounds  in 

Allowance 

Protein 

Carbohydrate 
Equivalent 

We  have  already  found  the  mixture  composed  of  100  pounds 
corn,  50  pounds  middlings  and  10  pounds  tankage,  a  total  of 
160  pounds,  to  be  

25.0 

118  8 

Added  in  the  10  pounds  of  meatmeal  tankage 

6  0 

3  2 

Total  in  final  mixture  of  170  pounds               .  .                  .    . 

31  0 

122  0 

This  ratio  equals  3.94,  secured  by  dividing  122  by  31,  which 
ratio  is  about  right,  and  plenty  near  enough  for  our  purpose. 

Go  ahead  with  the  mixture  as  determined,  feeding  with  every 
100  pounds  of  corn  50  pounds  wheat  flour  middlings  and  20  pounds 
meatmeal  tankage.  These  can  be  all  mixed  together,  or  the  wheat 
middlings  and  tankage  might  be  mixed  together,  and  fed  as  a  slop, 
and  the  corn  fed  dry  separately,  or  each  one  may  be  fed  separately, 
or  any  other  good  way  as  the  main  point  is  for  the  pigs  to  glean  all 
without  waste. 

Why  Limit  These  Feeds? — The  question  might  immediately 
arise,  * '  Why  not  let  growing  and  fattening  pigs  have  free  access  to 
all  of  these  feeds? "  That  does  work  finely,  in  truth  splendidly,  in 
ordinary  times,  but  if  one  could  buy  his  wheat  flour  middlings 
relatively  cheap,  he  would  be  at  a  disadvantage  under  a  system  of 
this  sort  because  the  pigs  would  eat  very  little  of  the  middlings,  or 
with  every  20  pounds  of  tankage  they  would  probably  eat  only 
about  20  pounds  of  middlings  or  maybe  a  little  more,  depending 
upon  conditions ;  so  that  to  utilize  the  cheaper  middlings,  mixtures 
will  have  to  be  resorted  to.  In  other  words,  one  gets  into  difficulty 
by  attempting  to  feed  certain  ratios  and  depending  on  the  allow- 
ance singly  of  feeds  to  do  it,  because  the  pigs  naturally  have  ideas 
of  their  own  in  regard  to  the  matter  of  consumption. 

In  closing  this  dissertation  on  building  the  ration  we  must  again 
emphasize  and  re-emphasize  that  we  should  have  one  or  more  of  the 
following  named  feeds  in  American  rations  for  growing,  pregnant, 
suckling  or  breeding  swine : 

Basic  Ingredients. — A.  Some  kind  of  milk  (skim,  butter  or 
whole).  The  buttermilk  powder  or  semi-solid  butermilk  will  fill 
the  physiological  bill  as  well  as  ordinary  natural  milk  products  ex- 
cepting, of  course,  that  less  will  be  required.  But  do  not  forget  to 
figure  the  economy  of  the  feed  on  the  assumption  that  a  pound 
each  of  dry  matter  in  skimmilk,buttermilk,  buttermilk  powder  and 
semi-solid  butermilk  powder  is  about  equally  valuable. 

B.  The  green,  tender  leafy  pastures  of  alfalfa,  red  clover, 
sweet  clover,  other  clovers,  rape,  bluegrass,  rye,  wheat,  barley, 
and  possibly  soy-beans,  cowpeas  and  peanuts  for  all  classes.  Al- 
falfa or  clover  hay,  particularly  for  the  brood  sow  or  maintenance 
hogs  but  not  particularly  so  for  young  growing  animals  because  too 


WHAT  CONSTITUTES  AN  ADEQUATE  RATION  119 

much  fibre  is  contained  therein.    The  leafy  portions  are  all  right, 
however. 

C.  Meat  and  fish  products,  such  as  meatmeal  tankage,  or  fish- 
meal. 

These  are  the  feeds  that  contain  the  vitamines,  the  mineral 
elements,  and  the  right  kind  of  proteins  ordinarily  required  to 
balance  the  grain  ration;  hence  the  reason  why  one  or  more  of 
these  feeds  should  be  included  in  all  of  ordinary  swine  feeding  op- 
erations. They  assist  greatly  in  insuring  thrift  and  vigor  and 
greatest  of  all,  they  insure  larger  satisfaction,  which  insurance  is 
quite  essential. 


CHAPTER  II 

FORAGE  CROPS  THAT  MAKE  GOOD 

Successful  and  most  economical  swine  husbandry  centers  to  a 
large  extent  round  the  corn  and  barley  crops  in  America,  but  it  also 
is  determined  to  a  considerable  degree  by  the  kind  and  character  of 
forage  crops,  and  the  methods  of  using  them;  inasmuch  as  these 
forage  crops  are  used  to  supplement  corn,  barley  and  similar 
grains,  being  of  great  assistance  in  lessening  the  bill  for  meatmeal 
tankage,  which  costs  over  $100  a  ton,  and  linseed  oilmeal  at  the  war 
price  of  around  $60  and  $65.  In  other  words,  the  better  forage 
crops,  rightly  selected,  replace  these  high-priced  supplementary 
concentrates,  giving  the  swinegrower  an  opportunity  to  produce 
the  equivalent  of  these  high-priced  feeds  on  his  own  farm,  and  in 
such  a  manner  that  they  will  be  harvested  by  the  swine,  so  that 
much  labor  will  be  saved. 

Why  Grow  Forage  Crops? — We  grow  forage  crops  because 
they  replace  high-priced  concentrates.  We  grow  them  because 
they  are  part  of  an  efficient  system  of  swine  production.  They 
afford  range  which,  of  course,  insures  that  the  growing  pigs  and  the 
brood  sows  get  considerable  exercise,  and  getting  exercise,  are 
healthier.  Forage  crops  are  good  because  they  furnish  a  succulent 
feed,  and  thus,  because  of  the  succulence,  promote  digestive  tone 
and  well-being.  Forage  crops  permit  the  hog  to  drop  his  manure 
right  on  the  land,  and  thus  increase  fertility.  Manure  left  in  the 
hogyards  is  often  largely  wasted;  thus  indirectly  forage  crops  add 
to  the  direct  benefits  of  forage  farming.  Forage  crops,  if  rightly 
selected,  enrich  the  land  in  nitrogen,  through  alfalfa,  clovers,  beans, 
peas  and  others,  which  have  the  power  of  taking  nitrogen  from  the 
air.  Forage  crops  insure  that  at  least  a  part  of  the  ration  be  self- 
fed,  generally  speaking,  particularly  so  if  the  pigs  are  allowed  free 
access  to  these  crops.  Forage  crops  help  out  on  the  rotation,  pro- 
mote greater  industry  and  resourcefulness  in  swine  raising  and  di- 
rectly and  indirectly  encourage  good  general  farming  as  well  as 
good  swine  raising. 

The  Rank  of  Forage  Crops. — Our  greatest  forages  for  the 
cornbelt  rank  about  in  this  order:  Alfalfa,  first;  Dwarf  Essex 
rape  and  medium  red  clover  (and  possibly  also  Mammoth  red  clover, 
alsike  clover  and  other  clovers,  depending  on  the  locality  where 
grown  and  how  grown)  second  and  third;  bluegrass  (particularly 
when  in  the  green  growing  stage  and  not  when  dry,  hard  and 
brown),  fourth;  sweet  clover '  (particularly  of  the  first  year's 
growth,  when  it  is  young,  green,  tender  and  rich  in  its  particular 
constituents,  namely,  protein,  minerals  and  vitamines  that  grains 
lack,  and  not  the  second  year's  growth,  after  it  becomes  hard  and 
woody),  fifth;  and,  lastly,  there  would  come  these  forages:  Rye, 

120 


FORAGE  CROPS  THAT  MAKE  GOOD  121 

wheat,  soybeans  and  cowpeas.  Generally  speaking,  then,  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  cornbelt,  we  would  place  the  pastures  in  the  order 
of  their  merit,  as  follows:  Alfalfa,  rape,  red  clover,  bluegrass, 
first-year  sweet  clover,  and  after  that  we  would  depend  on  the  other 
crops  mentioned. 

Selecting  Forage  Crops. — In  order  to  get  an  adequate  idea  as 
to  how  to  select  a  forage  crop,  it  is  essential  that  we  know  just  what 
should  be  the  requirements  of  the  ideal  pasture  and  forage  crop. 

From  the  idealistic  standpoint,  therefore,  the  forage  crop  should 
be  first  and  above  all  adaptable  to  the  local  soil  and  climate;  it 
should  be  palatable,  highly  relished  by  the  swine ;  it  should  give  a 
heavy  yield  of  highly  digestible  protein  of  good  supplementary 
quality;  it  should  furnish  a  considerable  quantity  of  mineral  ele- 
ments of  the  right  sort ;  it  should  furnish  considerable  of  fat  soluble 
A,  this  being  essential  to  life  and  well-being ;  it  should  also  carry 
fat  soluble  B,  and  the  anti-scorbutics  or  scurvy  specifics;  it  should 
also  be  low  in  crude  fibre,  because  swine  cannot  handle  much  crude 
fibre  to  advantage ;  it  should  have  a  narrow  nutritive  ratio,  that  is, 
a  large  proportion  of  digestible  protein  in  relation  to  the  starchy 
or  fat-forming  materials ;  it  should  be  somewhat  succulent,  although 
not  excessively  so ;  it  should  have  a  long  pasturage  season,  coming 
early  particularly,  staying  green  during  the  hot,  dry  summer 
and  remaining  green  and  palatable  late  in  the  fall,  even  after 
heavy  freezes  come  (better  still  if  it  can  furnish  .green  feed 
during  the  winter,  like  does  rape  sometimes  but  more  particularly 
like  does  wheat)  ;  it  should  be  able  to  endure  trampling  and 
ordinary  grazing;  it  should  be  permanent,  or  at  least  maintain 
a  stand  for  a  reasonable  number  of  years,  like  bluegrass  or_ 
alfalfa;  it  should  be  seeded  with  relative  ease;  it  should  not  cost 
too  much  to  get  a  stand,  nor  take  too  long ;  it  should  be  capable  of 
furnishing  good  pasture  at  any  time  from  April  to  December  (rape 
is  pretty  good,  in  that  it  can  be  used  as  an  emergency  crop  and  is 
ready  for  pasturing  a  couple  of  months  after  seeding) ;  and  it 
should  preferably  be  of  a  leguminous  character ;  that  is,  it  should 
have  the  ability  of  gathering  nitrogen  from  the  air  and  thus  help 
in  keeping  up  the- fertility. 

Unfortunately  or  fortunately,  depending  on  the  viewpoint,  we 
have  no  single  crop  that  will  supply  all  of  these  essentials.  We  have 
certain  crops  that  supply  many  of  them  and  all  of  them  are  sup- 
plied in  some  one  of  the  various  crops.  There  is  one  crop  that 
stands  out  above  all  others,  however,  in  supplying  the  majority  of 
these,  and  that  crop  is  alfalfa. 

Alfalfa  Pasture. — Of  all  the  crops  that  grow  in  the  northern  or 
in  the  southern  or  even  in  the  eastern  states  of  America,  alfalfa 
from  the  swine-forage  standpoint  stands  out  as  the  peer  of  them  all. 
Alfalfa  is  a  heavy  yielder  of  the  kind  of  constituents  that  are 
needed  to  balance  the  ordinary  corn  ration.  It  balances  the  corn  of 
the  cornbelt.  and  the  barley  of  the  west,  and  the  rye  of  the  north. 


122  HOW  TO  PEED  YOUR  HOGS 

It  is  entirely  posible  to  raise  pigs  from  birth  to  maturity,  in  truth, 
to  go  through  the  entire  cycle  of  swine  husbandry,  with  corn  and  al- 
falfa. Of  course,  this  can  be  improved  somewhat,  but  these  two 
are  the  great  basal  feeds,  from  the  standpoint  of  economical  and 
physiological  efficiency,  and  the  man  who  wishes  to  make  the  most 
of  swine  husbandry  will  see  to  it  that  these  crops  be  grown  in  his  lo- 
cality, if  it  is  possible.  Of  course,  there  are  certain  sections  where 
the  corn  may  be  displaced,  and  also  the  alfalfa,  but,  generally 
speaking,  if  they  grow  to  advantage,  they  are  the  ones  to  use. 

Of  all  the.  crops  that  we  have  used  in  our  experimental  work  at 
the  Iowa  station,  we  have  secured  especially  economic  gains  on 
two:  alfalfa  and  Dwarf  Essex  rape.  Both  stand  out  particularly 
strong  in  balancing  corn.  We  do  not  pass  without  of  course  salut- 
ing red  clover. 

Heavy  Grazing  111  Advised. — Heavy  pasturing  of  alfalfa  is 
detrimental.  We  usually  figure  on  pasturing  the  alfalfa  only 
about  one-third  to  one-half  of  what  it  will  stand,  and  then  take  off 
the  regular  cuttings  of  hay  therefrom.  In  other  words,  on  pasture 
that  will  yield  from  4  to  7  tons  per  acre,  we  will  run  from  10  to 
20  weanling  pigs  from  late  May  or  early  June  to  the  1st  of  Novem- 
ber, and  then  take  our  regular  hay  cuttings  off  the  field,  making 
the  cuttings  when  the  young  shoots  begin  to  form  at  the  crown  of 
the  plants. 

Protein  in  Alfalfa. — Alfalfa  runs  high  in  protein.  A  dry- 
matter  analysis  (this  refers  to  the  alfalfa  plant  with  all  of  the  water 
squeezed  out)  showed  that  on  about  April  24  one  year  the  leaves 
showed  in  every  100  pounds  of  this  water-free  material  38.8  per- 
cent of  protein.  This  is  higher  than  oilmeal,  and  more  than  twice 
as  high  as  wheat  middlings.  Of  course,  the  stems  will  run  less 
than  this  but,  generally  speaking,  pigs  know  enough  to  eat  the 
11  tenderer"  portions.  Note  in  passing  that  the  reason  why  we  make 
our  regular  cuttings  is  to  stimulate  new  growth  because  it  is  the  new 
growth  which  runs  highest  in  protein  and  minerals  and  lowest  in 
fibre — things  that  are  essential.  To  show  just  how  the  more  rap- 
idly-growing parts  of  alfalfa  analyze  or  namely,  higher  in  protein 
and  lower  in  fibre,  we  submit  these  figures : 

An  analysis  of  the  top  half  of  alfalfa  on  May  26  showed  protein 
31  percent  and  fibre  14  percent  in  the  dry  matter.  The  lower  half 
of  the  same  plants  showed  a  little  more  than  half  as  much  protein, 
or  18  percent,  and  more  than  twice  as  much  fibre,  or  29  percent, 
and  the  pigs  know  somehow  that  the  top  half  of  the  alfalfa  is  the 
best.  In  truth,  if  one  watches  pigs  in  the  alfalfa  field  he  will  see 
them  very  often  simply  bite  off  the  upper  portion,  because  it  is 
tenderest  and  most  palatable,  and  because  it  supplies  their  nutri- 
tional needs  to  the  greatest  advantage.  It  would  be  flattering  to 
the  horse  to  say  that  these  pigs  exhibit  "horse-sense,"  whereas 
they  really  show  normal  "hog-sense." 


FORAGE  CROPS  THAT  MAKE  GOOD 


123 


How  much  grain  will  an  acre  of  alfalfa  save  1 

In  1916  we  fed  six  groups  of  pigs,  5  on  alfalfa  and  1  in  drylot, 
as  per  the  following  tabulated  presentation : 

The  Self -Fed  "Free-Choice"  Pigs  on  Alfalfa  Pasture* 

Animal  Husbandry  Section  Results — Iowa  Experiment  Station — Growing  and  Fattening 

2  %  Months  Old  Pigs. 

Initial  weight  55  pounds — final  weight  225  pounds — feeding  period  began  July   6th — 
all  limited  groups  hand-fed  twice  daily. 


Lot 
No. 

t  Ration  Fed 

Days 
Required 
to  Reach 
225  Pounds 
Live  Weight 

Feed  per  100  Pounds  Gain 

Pasture, 
Acres 

Shelled" 
Corn, 
Pounds 

Tankage, 
Pounds 

Total, 
Pounds 

I 
II 
III 
IV 

V 
VI 

Alfalfa.  Shelled  corn  2%  plus 
meatmeal  tankage  hand-fed 
twice,  July  6  P.  M.,  to  Dec.  27 
AM. 

174.5 
147.5 
131.5 

130 
121 
130 

362.6 
353.4 
368.4 

355.4 
342.7 
354.2 

40.4 
35.4 
33.4 

33.1 
31.7 
50.6 

403.0 
388.8 
401.8 

388.5 
374.4 
404.8 

.027 
.026 
.022 

.023 
.018 

None 

Alfalfa.  Shelled  corn  3%  plus 
meatmeal  tankage  hand-fed 
twice;  July  6  P.  M.  to  Nov.  30 
P.  M 

Alfalfa.  Shelled  corn  to  limit  of 
appetite  plus  meatmeal  tankage 
hand-fed  twice;  July  6  P.  M.  to 
Nov  14  P.  M  . 

Alfalfa.  Shelled  corn  to  limit  of 
appetite  plus  meatmeal  tankage 
hand-fed  thrice;  July  6  P.  M. 
to  Nov  13  A  M 

Alfalfa.    Shelled  corn  self-fed  plus 
meatmeal      tankage     self  -fed; 
July  6  P.  M.  to  Nov.  4  A.  M  .  . 

Dry  lot.  Shelled  corn  self-fed 
plus  meatmeal  tankage  self  -fed; 
July  6  P.  M.  to  Nov.  13  A.  M. 

*Work  done  by  Eward  and  Dunn. 

Note  particularly  that  alfalfa  saved  considerable  tankage  or, 
instead  of  taking  50.6  pounds,  as  it  did  in  drylot  for  each  100 
pounds  of  gain,  it  took  only  31.65  pounds  where  alfalfa  was  used; 
thus  saving  practically  19  pounds  of  tankage  on  each  100  pounds 
of  gain  made,  by  simply  allowing  the  pigs  access  to  alfalfa,  as 
compared  to  keeping  them  in  a  drylot,  this  being  where  ample  corn 
and  meatmeal  tankage  are  self -fed  in  separate  feeders, ' '  free-choice ' ' 
style.  Note  also  that  less  corn  was  required, — practically  12  pounds 
less  on  each  100  pounds  of  gain. 

Feed  Saved  By  Using  Alfalfa. — In  figuring  this  on  the  basis  of 
pasturage  used,  which  amounted  to  .018  acres  or  18/1000  or 
9/500  of  an  acre  for  each  100  pounds  of  gain  (the  acreage  charge 
was  determined  by  dividing  the  area  by  the  number  of  100  pounds 
of  gain  that  they  put  on),  we  find  that  the  acre  of  alfalfa  saved,  in 
round  numbers,  639  pounds  of  corn  plus  1050  pounds  of  meatmeal 
tankage.  Crediting  the  corn  at  $1.50  a  bushel  and  the  tankage  at 
$100.00  a  ton,  the  alfalfa  replaced  $69.63  worth  of  these  high-priced 
feeds.  This  is  a  splendid  showing,  and  demonstrates  what  alfalfa 


124  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

will  do  under  good  conditions.  This  also  means  that  where  you 
self -feed  pigs  according  to  the  free-choice  style  with  shelled  corn 
and  meatmeal  tankage  on  alfalfa  pasture,  with  pasture  such  as  this 
used  (which  yielded  better  than  five  tons)  there  would  be  enough 
pasture  to  produce  5,555  pounds  of  hog  gain.  Do  not  misunder- 
stand this.  The  acre  of  pasture  plus  whatever  corn  is  neces- 
sary, and  also  tankage,  will  produce  this  amount  of  gain — not  the 
pasture  alone.  In  addition  to  pasture,  there  must  be  fed,  according 
to  these  results,  342.7  pounds  of  corn  and  31.7  pounds  of  meatmeal 
tankage  for  each  100  pounds  of  gain,  in  taking  the  pig  from  wean- 
ing time  up  to  225  pounds. 

Note  still  further  that  pasture  was  not  saved  by  limiting  the 
corn  ration.  Note  also  that  it  was  lost  by  limiting  the  ration.  The 
pigs  went  to  market  earlier  and  had  better  markets  when  they  were 
pushed  hard  from  spring  to  fall.  Stick  to  alfalfa  if  you  can  grow 
it.  It  is  a  great  forage  crop. 

Rape. — How  about  rape  pasture  ?  Rape  is  a  good  second  to 
alfalfa.  It  is  a  wonderfully  good  crop.  We  find  in  our  work  that 
we  can  carry  on  rape  pasture  anywhere  from  15  to  30  pigs  to  the 
acre,  depending  on  how  they  are  handled.  This  is  on  land  that 
yields  a  little  more  than  50  bushels  of  corn,  on  the  average.  Dwarf 
Essex  rape  of  either  the  European  or  Japanese  varieties  is  splen- 
did. It  can  be  drilled,  broadcasted,  or  put  in  rows.  We  prefer 
drilling.  It  can  be  put  in  early  in  April  (central  Iowa  conditions) 
and  be  ready  for  pasture  about  July  1  or  sooner.  It  does  well  in 
certain  sections  of  the  south,  and  is  a  superior  crop  in  Canada. 
In  the  south  it  is  used  as  a  winter  crop.  It  is  what  one  might 
call  a  cool-weather  plant. 

One  could  get  along  in  the  summer  without  any  supplementary 
feed,  if  he  had  corn  or  barley,  with  rape  pasture.  It  is  ordinarily 
advisable  to  feed  some  tankage  or  milk  or  similar  feeds  in  addition, 
also  salt,  but  the  point  is  that  rape  balances  corn  and  barley  to 
pretty  good  advantage. 

Analysis  of  Rape. — A  recent  analysis  at  the  Iowa  station 
shows  in  the  leaves  of  rape  dry  matter  29  percent  protein  and  8 
percent  fibre.  This  compares  favorably  with  alfalfa;  in  truth,  it 
runs  higher  than  alfalfa  on  the  average.  The  leaf  stems  analyzed 
14  percent  protein  and  19  percent  fibre.  This  shows  a  little  less  of 
protein  but  more  of  fibre  than  the  leaves.  The  main  stems  analyzed 
12  percent  protein  and  41  percent  fibre.  This  shows  them  un- 
desirable and  explains  the  reason  why  pigs 'do  not  eat  the  stems; 
it  also  shows  why  they  prefer  the  leaves,  which  run  higher  in 
proteins  and  much  less  in  fibre.  The  leaves  often  run  as  high  as 
three  times  as  much  in  protein  as  the  stems,  and  yet  contain  only 
one-fifth  as  much  fibre.  The  roots  run  7  percent  protein  and  52 
percent  fibre;  hence  it  is  seldom  that  pigs  root  up  the  roots  of 
rape  because  there  is  little  feeding  value  to  be  found  therein. 


FORAGE  CROPS  THAT  MAKE  GOOD 


125 


An  analysis  of  rape  on  May  3,  edible  portion  (and  this  was 
when  the  rape  was  nice  and  young  and  tender,  suitable  for  very 
young  suckling  pigs  that  are  allowed  to  slip  through  the  fence 
into  the  pasture  away  from  their  mothers)  showed  protein  in 
the  dry  matter  36.9  percent.  Again  we  see  that  rape  is  an 
excellent  supplement  to  corn  on  the  basis  of  its  analysis.  Years 
ago  folks  used  to  look  on  rape  as  a  carbohydrate  feed,  but  the  pigs 
did  not.  We  watched  the  pigs,  and  saw  that  their  analysis 
did  not  agree  with  chemists '  analyses.  In  other  words,  the  pigs  did 
better  on  rape  than  one  would  expect,  judging  from  the  published 
analyses  of  this  plant.  We  therefore  made  some  analyses,  and 
found  that  the  pigs  were  right,  and  that  the  chemists  had  misled 
us.  Not  that  the  chemists  had  made  a  mistake,  but  that  the  litera- 
ture did  not  show  definitely  what  their  samples  represented,  and 
we  were  led  to  believe  that  the  low-protein  analysis  shown  for  rape 
represented  that  which  animals  eat.  But  to  make  sure,  our  samples 
were  taken  of  just  those  portions  which  the  pigs  ate.  We  watched 
the  pigs  as  they  ate  rape  and  sampled  accordingly — and  lo  and 
behold!  the  pigs  were  right. 

How  much  corn  shall  we  feed  on  rape  pasture  and  how  shall 
we  feed  it?  Shall  we  limit  the  corn  or  give  them  considerable 
of  it?  Some  results  follow: 

Animal  Husbandry  Results — Iowa  Experiment  Station.*  Growing  and  fattening 
2%  months  old  pigs,  having  an  initial  weight  of  55  pounds  and  carrying  them  to  a 
final  weight  of  225  pounds.  Feeding  period  began  July  6th,  and  carried  on  pasture 
November  13th,  close  of  green  season,  after  which  all  groups  not  yet  reaching  225 
pounds  average  weight  were  self-fed  free-choice  style  or  shelled  corn  plus  tankage. 
Tankage  allowance  was  identical  per  pig  in  all  groups  to  the  close  of  the  forage  sea- 
son, hence  only  difference  was  in  corn  allowed. 


Lot 
No. 

Ration  Fed 

Days 
Required 
to  Reach 
225  Pounds 
Live  Weight 

Feed  pe 

Shelled 
Corn, 
Pounds 

r  100  Pou 

Tankage, 
Pounds 

nds  Gain 
Total 
Feed 
Corn 
Tankage 

Acres, 
Rape 

I 
II 

III 

Rape.  Shelled  corn  2%  or  one- 
half  full  ration  plus  meatmeal 
tankage  hand-fed  twice  daily  .  . 

Rape.  Shelled  corn  3%  or  two- 
thirds  full  ration  plus  meatmeal 
tankage  hand-fed  twice  daily.  . 

Rape.  Shelled  corn  to  limit  of 
appetite  plus  meatmeal  tankage 
hand-fed  twice  daily  

172 
145 
134 

363.5 

335.2 
374  7 

30.3 
25.8 
24  2 

393.8 
361.0 
398  9 

.038 
.035 
.032 

IV 

Rape.  Shelled  corn  self-fed  plus 
meatmeal  tankage  self-fed 
"F  ee-Choice"  style 

122 

342  5 

22  4 

364  9 

032 

*Work  done  by  Evvard  and  Dunn. 

In  the  above  test  the  self-fed  group  and  all  the  hand-fed 
groups  were  fed  as  much  tankage  as  the  self-fed  lot  IV  required, 
so  that  the  meatmeal  tankage  allowance  was  identical  per  pig  in  all 
groups  to  the  close  of  the  forage  season,  hence  the  only  difference 
was  in  corn  allowed.  On  the  basis  of  the  above  figures,  it  is  found 
that  the  self -feeding  of  corn  and  tankage  on  rape  saved  time,  saved 
high  priced  tankage  feed,  generally  speaking,  and  saved  pasture. 
The  grain  saved  by  the  acre  of  rape  pasture  equals,  if  contrasted 


126  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

with  drylot  fed  pigs,  self-fed  corn  and  tankage  alongside,  366 
pounds  of  corn  plus  881  pounds  of  tankage,  which,  valued  at  $1.50 
a  bushel  and  $100  a  ton,  is  equivalent  to  a  saving  of  $53.86  worth 
of  high-priced  feed  saved  by  an  acre  of  rape. 

Try  rape  and  you  will  like  it.  To  grow  it  once  means  to  keep  on 
growing  it,  because  it  does  well,  saves  high-priced  feed  and  stays 
green  during  the  entire  growing  season  furnishing  succulent  feed 
for  the  swine  herd,  particularly  in  July  and  August,  when  other 
pasture  crops  are  inclined  to  dry  up. 

Medium  Red  Clover. — It  is  hardly  necessary  to  go  into  detail 
in  regard  to  the  practicability  of  medium  red  clover  as  a  forage 
crop  for  swine,  because  it  is  so  widely  known  and  so  favorably  re- 
ceived wherever  grown  to  advantage  that  most  men  understand  its 
efficiency.  Medium  red  clover,  unless  quite  young  and  tender,  does 
not,  however,  analyze  so  well  as  alfalfa  or  rape,  but  it  does  contain 
a  large  proportion  of  those  ordinary  constituents  which  go  to  bal- 
ance the  ordinary  grain  ration — such  as  protein,  mineral  elements 
and  vitamines.  It  is  possible  to  get  along  fairly  well  on  good  clover 
pasture  without  any  high-priced  supplement,  but  it  is  not  so  easy  to 
do  this  as  on  rape  or  alfalfa. 

Red  clover  fits  into  the  ration  finely,  and  will  continue  to  be 
used.  It  is  difficult  in  some  localities  to  get  a  stand,  although  in 
certain  sections,  as  central  Indiana,  it  seems  to  be  easy  to  catch  a 
seeding.  It  does  not  withstand  drouth  so  well  as  alfalfa  or  rape 
or  even  sweet  clover,  and,  as  a  result,  in  July  and  August,  and  par- 
ticularly in  the  latter  part  of  August,  it  becomes  dry  and  hard. 
Rains  are  necessary  about  this  time  in  order  to  stimulate  second 
growth,  and  if  rains  do  not  come  we  have  hard,  brown  clover  which 
is  unpalatable,  and  is  not  eaten  by  the  pigs,  and  hence,  of  course, 
they  lose  its  balancing  effects.  When  clover  blooms  nicely  pigs  are 
particularly  fond  of  the  blossoms,  inasmuch  as  they  have  a  sweet 
taste  that  apparently  is  relished. 

One  of  the  Best  Swine  Pastures. — One  can  make  no  mistake  in 
depending  on  red  clover  in  the  regular  rotation,  inasmuch  as  it  is 
one  of  our  three  best  swine  pastures.  In  its  place  we  can  depend  on 
alsike  clover  which,  if  it  yields  about  the  same,  will  give  similar 
results.  Mammoth  clover  is  excellent,  and  will  do  about  the  same  as 
medium  red  clover.  White  clover  is  fine,  but  in  the  great  middle 
west  sections  it  really  is  a  supplementary  crop — supplementary  to 
bluegrass,  and  helps  make  bluegrass  more  efficient  in  the  early 
season.  When  one  grows  pasture  crops,  such  as  red  clover  or  al- 
falfa, he  can  always  cut  them  for  hay,  in  case  the  pigs  do  not  mate- 
rialize just  right  or  in  case  they  are  switched  over  to  some  other 
crop.  With  rape,  however,  it  is  essential  that  it  be  pastured,  be- 
cause it  cannot  be  cured  in  the  ordinary  hay-making  way  to  ad- 
vantage. 


FORAGE  CROPS  THAT  MAKE  GOOD  127 

Swinemen  everywhere  may  lay  emphasis  on  red  clover  and  de- 
pend on  it  as  the  mainstay  in  their  forage  crop  regime,  more 
especially  where  it  does  well,  and  where  stands  can  be  easily  se- 
cured, and  where  the  rotation  adopted  is  such  as  to  devolp  it  to  its 
full  extent  as  a  necessary  factor  in  the  managerial  plan  of  the  farm. 

Bluegrass. — Bluegrass  is  the  standard  pasture  grass  of  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  United  States.  It  has  been  abused,  how- 
ever, on  many  an  occasion,  and  some  novices  have  thought  it  al- 
most worthless  as  a  swine  pasture.  While  it  is  true  that  bluegrass 
is  a  most  disappointing  pasture  in  July  and  August,  when  it  browns 
up  and  becomes  dry  and  hard,  yet  it  more  than  makes  up  for  this 
deficiency  in  the  early  spring,  when  it  comes  shooting  forth  in  all 
its  tenderness  and  greenness ;  any  time  in  April  and  May  it  is  a  fine 
pasture  grass.  Then  again  in  the  fall,  following  late  rains  in  Aug- 
ust and  September,  it  comes  forth,  sending  up  new  shoots,  which 
pigs  take  advantage  of,  and  which  the  chemists'  analysis  and  the 
pigs'  inclinations  show  to  be  we'll  adapted  to  the  balancing  of  the 
corn  ration. 

Analysis  of  Bluegrass. — To  emphasize  the  value  of  young, 
tender  bluegrass  that  comes  early  in  April,  a  sample  gathered  on  the 
12th  of  that  month  with  the  young  tender  shoots,  showed  in  the 
dry  matter  41.29  percent  protein,  with  a  crude  fibre  content  of 
13.22  percent.  This  is  a  good  showing  for  young,  tender  bluegrass. 
We  have  found  that  with  such  bluegrass  pigs  do  approximately 
as  well  as  they  do  on  alfalfa,  but,  unfortunately,  this  kind  of 
bluegrass  lasts  only  a  few  weeks,  and  then  it  begins  to  get 
worse  and  worse,  running  high  in  fibre,  and  low  in  protein,  low  in 
fat,  and  also  low  in  calcium  and  phosphorus,  the  two  elements  that 
go  to  make  up  the  bone. 

Contrast  this  excellent  April  analysis  of  41  percent  protein  and 
13  percent  fibre  in  the  dry  matter  with  an  analysis  of  the  same 
bluegrass  a  little  later  in  the  season,  namely  on  June  24.  At  that 
time  we  found  that  the  protein  content  was  about  one-fifth  of  what 
it  was  formerly,  or  8.7  percent,  and  the  fibre  had  more  than  doubled, 
analyzing  30.04  percent,  and  the  calcium  had  dropped  down  so 
that  about  one-fifth  as  much  was  present  as  earlier  in  the  season 
or  instead  of  y2  of  a  pound  in  100  pounds  of  dry  matter  it  ran  to 
less  than  1/10.  Let  us  not  forget  that  calcium  forms  some  40  per- 
cent of  the  dry  ash  of  bone,  and  is  of  the  utmost  importance  in  bal- 
ancing the  grain  ration,  because  the  grains  are  low  in  this  bone- 
building  and  stimulating  material.  Phosphorus  also  shows  a  big 
decrease,  being  about  1/30  as  much  in  June  as  in  April  per  100 
pounds  of  dry  matter  of  bluegrass. 

But  as  a  fine,  compact  sod  bluegrass  deserves  special  credit,  and 
it  is  a  fine  place  to  carry  young  litters,  putting  the  sows  out  so  that 
they  can  get  sunshine  and  green  feed.  Coming  early  as  it  does,  it 
ranks  alongside  of  winter  rye,  winter  wheat  and  sweet  clover  (the 
earliest  of  spring  pastures)  and,  being  a  compact  sod,  it  can  be  pas- 


128  HOW  TO  PEED  YOUR  HOGS 

tared  the  earliest  because  it  stands  trampling  especially  well.  Let 
us  take  advantage  of  bluegrass  while  it  is  green  and  tender,  getting 
out  on  it  early  and  staying  late  but  depending  during  late  May, 
June,  July,  August  and  part  of  September  for  the  major  part  on 
other  forages,  such  as  alfalfa,  rape,  red  clover  and  others.  Much 
depends  on  the  season,  however,  as  to  just  how  bluegrass  does. 
Generally  speaking,  when  it  becomes  hard  and  woody,  have  other 
pastures  ready,  or  else  see  to  it  that  the  pigs'  corn  or  barley  or 
other  grain  ration  is  in  large  measure  made  up  of  skimmilk  or 
tankage  or  similar  good  feeds. 

Sweet  Clover. — The  first  year's  growth  of  sweet  clover  makes 
a  fairly  acceptable  hog  pasture,  and  some  tests  at  the  Iowa  station 
have  shown  it  to  be  as  valuable  as  red  clover.  The  first  year's 
growth  of  sweet  clover  has  a  big  advantage,  in  that  it  stays  green 
throughout  the  season,  but  it  has  the  decided  disadvantage  that  it 
is  difficult  to  procure  a  stand  acceptable  for  pasturing  the  first 
year  of  its  growth.  Seeded  with  a  nurse  crop,  it  is  available  after 
the  crop  is  removed,  which  will  be  along  in  July.  Seeded  alone,  it 
is  difficult  to  get  a  stand,  although  it  is  possible,  and  we  have  done 
it.  This  means  that  most  of  the  sweet  clover  pasturing  is  done  late 
in  the  first  year's  growth,  or  during  the  second  year,  in  which 
year,  the  last  of  its  growth,  it  tends  to  blossom  early,  and  there- 
after quickly  becomes  woody  and  worthless  as  a  pasture  ordinarily 
before  the  middle  of  the  summer  has  come.  Of  course,  the  second 
year's  growth  can  be  much  improved  by  frequent  clippings,  but 
these  must  be  made  high,  6  to  10  inches,  else  one  will  kill  out  the 
sweet  clover.  But  bear  in  mind  that  sweet  clover  can  be  used  as  a 
hog  pasture  to  advantage;  hogs  will  eat  it;  and,  being  a  legume, 
it  adds  fertility  to  the  land.  Sweet  clover  in  rapid  stages  of  early 
growth  runs  high  in  protein  and  mineral  elements  and  vitamines, 
all  of,  which  are  good  for  pigs. 

Sweet  clover  has  a  bitter  principle  called  cumarin,  which  gives 
it  its  bitter  taste,  but  in  spite  of  this  pigs  will  eat  it,  as  will  cattle 
and  horses.  It  is  well  to  give  sweet  clover  the  credit  it  deserves, 
but  to  use  it  only  when  one  cannot  secure  good  stands  of  alfalfa, 
rape,  medium  red  clover.  After  all,  16cal  competition  on  the  home 
farm  will  determine  its  place. 

Our  advice  is  that  you  put  your  faith  in  alfalfa,  red  clover, 
rape  and  bluegrass ;  these  crops  supplemented  with  winter  rye  and 
winter  wheat  as  early  and  late  pastures — and  doing  that  you  can- 
not go  far  wrong  in  the  cornbelt. 

Miscellaneous  Pastures. — There  are  other  pastures  besides 
those  mentioned  which  may  be  used,  such  as  green  rye,  for  in- 
stance, which,  seeded  in  the  fall,  makes  good  late  pasture  and  is 
ready  for  early  pasturing  in  the  spring.  It  runs  very  high  in  pro- 
tein. Young,  tender  plants  showing  as  much  as  25  pounds  of  this 
material  in  100  pounds  of  the  dry  matter  are  a  valuable  supple- 
ment to  corn,  barley,  wheat  or  rye.  One  must  remember,  however, 


FORAGE  CROPS  THAT  MAKE  GOOD  129 

to  take  pigs  out  when  they  begin  " spitting  out  the  cud,"  which  is 
about  the  time  the  rye  begins  to  joint.  To  stay  in  longer  is  to  de- 
crease the  grain  yield,  and  to  depend  on  a  pasture  that  is  getting 
steadily  poorer  and  poorer  in  its  farm  grain-balancing  character- 
istics. Keep  your  eye  out  for  the  cuds  of  rougl  cellulose,  "asbes- 
tos-like" material  and  then  when  found  transfei  the  pigs  to  other 
pastures. 

Effects  of  Green  Rye. — In  some  years  green  rye  pasture  is 
quite  a  laxative.  If  much  trouble  is  experienced  in  this  respect, 
some  bloodmeal  at  the  rate  of  1/10  to  1/5  of  a  pound  per  pig  daily 
may  help  some,  but  if  that  does  not  remedy  it,  then  transfer  them 
to  other  pastures  for  a  time,  or  else  alternate  other  pastures  with 
the  rye. 

Winter  wheat  is  a  splendid  pasture  when  young  and  tender  in 
the  late  fall  and  early  spring.  We  have  thought  it  a  better  pas- 
ture, so  far  as  pigs  are  concerned,  than  rye.  It  will  not  carry  so 
many  pigs  as  rye  pasture,  but  they  will  do  better  on  it,  and  make  a 
little  more  rapid  gains  with  a  little  less  feed  outlay.  We  are  in- 
clined in  certain  seasons,  under  certain  conditions,  to  favor  wheat 
over  rye.  It  cannot  stand  the  pasturing,  however,  and  must  be 
handled  more  delicately. 

i 

Common  field  oats  can  be  pastured  when  quite  young,  but  oats 
pasture  is  not  nearly  so  good  as  rye  or  wheat.  Sorghum  is  de- 
pended on  by  some,  but  it  is  a  poor  pasture  for  swine.  It  does  not 
contain  the  constituents  that  are  necessary.  It  is  too  rough  and 
fibrous  and  unpalatable.  It  makes  a  better  shade  and  wind-break 
than  a  pasture. 

Soybeans  are  sometimes  promoted  and  pushed  as  a  banner 
swine  forage  crop  in  the  great  middle  west.  They  are  dependable 
in  the  southland  and  in  the  southern  sections  %  of  the  cornbelt,  but 
when  one  tries  to  grow  soybeans  in  the  northern  portions  of  Illi- 
nois, Iowa  and  sections  of  similar  latitude,  he  finds  trouble  in 
getting  beans  that  will  mature.  At  Ames  we  have  not  been  partic- 
ularly successful  with  soybean  pasture,  for  swine.  In  fact,  we  have 
been  relatively  unsuccessful.  We  have  tried  them  out  on  quite  a 
large  scale  but  years  ago  found  difficulty  in  maturing  them.  We 
are  continuing  our  investigations,  however,  and  trust  that  the  fu- 
ture will  show  them  up  more  favorably.  We  have  varieties  devel- 
oped now  that  ripen  nicely  in  safe  season. 

In  our  past  experience  rape,  alfalfa,  young,  tender  bluegrass 
and  green,  growing  sweet  and  red  clover  have  all  greatly  excelled 
soybeans,  the  pigs  doing  better  on  these  crops,  gaining  faster,  and 
requiring  less  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain.  We  believe,  however, 
that  soybeans  can  be  used  in  the  cornfield  to  good  advantage  but 
even  in  the  northern  sections  of  the  cornbelt  if  rape  can  bo  used, 
so  much  the  better. 


130  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

Cowpeas  are  similar  to  soybeans  but  they  are  adapted  to  an 
even  more  southerly  climate  than  soybeans;  therefore,  in  Iowa, 
soybeans  clearly  excel  them.  In  the  south  they  come  into  their 
own  and  can  be  used  to  advantage  in  some  sections. 

Certain  mixtures  are  sometimes  used,  like  oats,  Canadian  peas, 
and  rape.  This  is  all  right,  but  commonly  the  biggest  portion  of 
the  pasture  is  furnished  by  the  rape.  Further  north  than  Ames 
field  peas  can  be  used  to  better  advantage;  where  they  will  yield 
20  or  25  bushels  to  the  acre,  as  they  do  in  Wisconsin,  for  instance ; 
field  peas  make  an  excellent  forage  crop,  particularly  for  hogging- 
down  after  the  grain  has  practically  matured.  In  certain  sections 
of  Colorado  they  can  also  be  used  to  especially  good  advantage. 

We  have  tried  a  mixture  of  oats,  hairy  vetch  and  rape,  but  the 
pigs  did  not  like  the  vetch.  They  would  go  under  it  and  over 
it;  they  used  it  as  a  bed  and  as  a  cover,  but  they  fought  quite 
shy  of  using  it  as  a  feed.  Our  advice,  therefore,  in  regard  to 
vetch  is  to  steer  clear  of  it  as  a  pig  pasture.  Of  course,  this  does 
not  mean  that  it  should  not  be  used  for  its  soil-renovating  qualities. 

Bear  in  mind  continuously  the  great  advantages  of  pastures  in 
the  saving  of  high-priced  supplements.  Grow  them,  placing  spe- 
cial emphasis  on  their  replacement  of  meatmeal,  tankage,  milk,  and 
oilmeal  and  similar  feeds.  They  will  also  save  some  corn,  barley 
and  corresponding  grain  feeds.  While  they  will  save  some  of  these 
basal  concentrates,  yet  their  chief  function  is  in  balancing  these 
feeds.  Remember  that  the  pig  is  an  animal  so  constituted  by  his 
anatomy  and  inheritance  that  he  is  adapted  to  the  conversion  of 
concentrates  into  meat.  Primarily  he  is  not  a  roughage-eating  ani- 
mal and,  generally  speaking,  when  we  limit  the  corn  ration"  on 
good  pastures,  poor  ones  more  particularly,  we  do  not  save  grain 
(corn  plus  tankage)  because  it  will  take  the  pigs  more  days  to 
reach  a  certain  weight  and,  as  a  result,  therefore,  the  feed  required 
for  100  pounds  of  gain  usually  is  greater  than  if  the  pigs  were 
pushed  hard  from  start  to  finish.  Old  sows  or  maintenance  hogs  of 
any  sort  can  be  turned  out  on  good  grass  to  good  advantage,  but 
even  then  a  little  grain  added  to  the  pasture  is  a  splendid  help. 

In  closing  this  dissertation  on  pastures  it  is  well  to  emphasize 
the  amount  of  protein  supplement  necessary  foy  different  classes 
of  swine.  The  following  scheme  for  feeding  corn  and  tankage  on 
high  and  low-protein  pastures  is  adapted  from  Circular  26,  writ- 
ten by  Eward  and  Pew  of  the  Iowa  Experiment  Station : 

On  High-Protein  Pastures 

Alfalfa;  rape.,  Dwarf  Essex;  red,  mammoth,  alsike,  and  white 
clover;  young,  tender,  sweet  clover;  entire  first  year's  growth  and 
earliest  stages  of  second  year;  quite  early,  tender,  new  coming 
timothy,  rye,  or  wheat;  and  short,  " shooting, "  tender,  green, 
succulent  bluegrass. 


FORAGE  CROPS  THAT  MAKE  GOOD  131 

7.  FATTENING  AND  GROWING  HOGS  FOR  MARKET. 
1.  Suckling  Pigs — 5  to  40  pounds — Creep. 

(A)  Corn,  self -fed,  tankage,  self -fed,  salt. 

It  pays  to  give  the  suckling  pigs  a  good  start.  How- 
ever, on  good  alfalfa,  or  clover  pasture  they  will  eat 
much  less  tankage  than  on  drylot. 

2:  Weanling  Pigs— 30  to  100  pounds. 

(A)  Corn,  10  to  5  parts,  tankage,  10  to  5  parts,  salt. 

(B)  Corn,  self -fed,  tankage,  self -fed,  salt. 

When  pigs  are  self -fed  on  luscious,  young  alfalfa  they 
eat  about  94  to  96  corn  and  6  to  4  tankage  in  going 
from  weaning  to  100  pounds  weight. 

3.  Shotes— 100  to  175  pounds. 

(A)  Corn,  self  or  hand-fed,  salt. 

(B)  Corn,  self -fed,  tankage,  self -fed,  salt. 

On  good,  high-protein  alfalfa  such  pigs  will  eat  about 
96  to  98  corn  and  4  to  2  tankage. 

4.  Hogs — 175  to' 250  pounds. 

(A)   Corn,  hand  or  self -fed,  salt. 

5.  Fat  Hogs— 250  to  300  pounds. 
(A)   Corn,  hand  or  self -fed,  salt. 

//.  FATTENING  SOWS  FOR  MARKET. 
1.  Sows,  Fattening  off — All  Ages. 

(A)   Corn,  hand  or  self -fed,  salt. 

If  in  poor  condition  and  not  doing  well,  feed  same 
tankage  or  skimmilk  or  buttermilk  until  they  get 
nicely  started;  the  gilts  will  need  somewhat  more 
than  older  sows. 

III.  STAGS,  FATTENING  FOR  MARKET. 

(A)   Corn,  hand  or  self -fed,  salt. 

IV.  CARRYING  SOWS,  BREEDING  (PREGNANT). 

1.  At  Breeding  Time  and  During  Gestation. 

(A)  Corn  with  an  addition  of  5  to  10  per  cent  tankage 
until  the  sows  are  bred.  Then  put  the  sows  on  corn 
until  about  a  month  before  farrowing  time  comes, 
when  a  limited  amount  of  tankage  or  separated  milk 
may  be  fed  to  them  so  as  to  encourage  milk  secre- 
tion. This  method  of  feeding  will  also  insure  that 
there  will  be  good  strong,  lusty,  active,  new-born  pigs. 


132  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

V.  CARRYING  SOWS,  SUMMERING— TO  BE  BRED  IN  THE 
FALL. 

1.  Fall  Gilts  and  Yearling  Sows.  * 

(A)  Corn,  limited  ration,  regulate  according  to  gains  and 
conditions  desired.  Change  ration  to  corn  and  tank- 
age ten  days  before  breeding  the  sows  to  encourage 
liberation  and  fertilization  of  many  ova,  in  order  to 
increase  the  number  in  the  litter  at  farrowing  time. 


On  Low-Protein  Pastures 

Dry,  hard,  fibrous  bluegrass ;  sorghum ;  f eterita ;  millet ;  timothy 
when  .over  4  inches  high;  rye  or  wheat  over  8  inches;  or  oats  and 
barley  over  5  inches,  or  beginning  a  couple  of  weeks  before  start- 
ing to  joint;  and  sweet  clover  of  second  year's  growth  after  ten 
inches  high.  One  must  feed  practically  the  same  as  in  drylot.  These 
pastures  will,  of  course,  save  some  grain  feed,  but  they  are  not 
high  enough  or  well  balanced  enough  in  the  substances,  sucj.  as 
protein,  minerals,  and  essential  feed  accessories  that  balance  the 
corn  to  permit  the  lessening  of  the  proportion  of  supplement  used 
as  compared  to  drylot.  Our  drylot  recommendations  follow: 


Successful  Rations  for  Economical  Dry-Lot  Feeding 

I.  FATTENING  AND  GROWING  HOGS  FOR  MARKET. 

1.  Suckling  Pigs — 5  to  40  pounds  (fed  in  creep). 

(A)  Corn  80  parts,  tankage  20  parts,  salt. 

(B)  Corn  self -fed,  tankage  self -fed,  salt. 

2.  Weanling  Pigs — 30  to  100  pounds. 

(A)  Corn  80  to  85,  tankage  20  to  15,  salt. 

(B)  Corn  self -fed,  tankage  self-fed,  salt. 

3.  Shotes— 100  to  175  pounds. 

(A)  Corn  85  to  90,  tankage  15  to  10,  salt. 

(B)  Corn  self -fed,  tankage  self -fed,  salt. 

4-,  Hogs — 175  to  250  pounds. 

(A)  Corn  92  to  96,  tankage  8  to  4,  salt. 

(B)  Corn  self-fed,  tankage  self-fed,  salt. 

5.  Fat  Hogs — 175  to  250  pounds. 

(A)  Corn  95  to  99,  tankage  5  to  1. 

(B)  Corn  self -fed,  tankage  self-fed,  salt  and  charcoal. 


FORAGE  CROPS  THAT  MAKE  GOOD  133 

//.  FATTENING  SOWS  FOR  MARKET. 

I.  Yearling  Sows  (Gilts)  After  Weaning,  "Fattening  off." 

(A)  In  Poor  Condition,  and  "Run  Down." 

1.  Corn  90,  tankage  10,  salt  and  charcoal. 

2.  Corn  self-fed,  tankage  self-fed,  salt  and  charcoal. 
Omit  tankage  last  two  or  three  weeks. 

(B)  In  Good  Condition— Thrifty. 

1.  Corn  92  to  95,  tankage  8  to  5,  salt  and  charcoal. 

2.  Corn  self-fed,  tankage  self-fed,  salt. 
Omit  tankage  last  two  or  three  weeks. 

2.  Two-year  Old  or  Older  Sows  After  Weaning,  "Fattening 

off." 

(A)  In  Poor  Condition,  and  "Run  Down." 

1.  Corn  95,  tankage  5,  salt. 

2.  Corn  self -fed,  tankage  self-fed,  salt. 
Omit  tankage  last  few  weeks. 

(B)  In  Good  Condition— Thrifty. 

1.  Corn  all  will  eat,  preferably  self -fed,  salt. 

///.  FATTENING  STAGS  FOR  MARKET. 

Stags  may  be  fed  about  same  as  sows. 
IV.  BREEDING  SOWS,  CARRYING  (PREGNANT). 

1.  At  Breeding  Time — Flushing  to  Increase  the  Number  in 

Litter. 
Start  10  days  before  breeding. 

(A)  Gilts. 

1.  Corn  self -fed,  tankage  self -fed,  salt. 
(For  a  few  weeks  until  bred.) 

2.  Corn  88,  tankage  12,  salt. 

(B)  Older  Sows. 

1.  Corn  self-fed,  tankage  self-fed,  salt. 
(For  a  few  weeks  until  bred.) 

2.  Corn  90,  tankage  10,  salt. 

2.  During  Gestation  or  Pregnancy. 

(A)  Gilts:  Should  gain  about  .6  to  1  pound  daily. 

(B)  Sows — Yearling  Sows  or  Older:    Should  gain  .5  to  1 
pound  daily. 

1.  Practically  same  as  for  gilts,  excepting  slightly 
more  corn  may  be  fed,  and  somewhat  less  supple- 
ment. 

V.  SUCKLING  SOWS. 

1.  Gilts  and  Older  Sows. 

(A)  Corn  self -fed  and  tankage  self -fed,  salt. 

(B)  Co'rn  dry  or  soaked  as  sows  and  pigs  wish  in  addition 

to  from  15  to  25  pounds  of  meatmeal  tankage  with 
every  100  pounds  of  corn,  salt. 


134  HOW  TO  PEED  YOUE  HOGS 

Notes 

1.  To  substitute  the  tankage  allowance  (as  given)  with  oilmeal, 
use  about  2  to  2y2  times  as  much,  as,  for  instance,  instead  of  using 
corn  90,  tankage  10,  use  corn  90,  linseed  oilmeal  20  to  25.    How- 
ever, oilmeal  as  the  lone  supplement  to  corn  is  not  advisable  unless 
the  pigs  be  on  good  pasture,  and  even  here  milk,  middlings  or 
tankage  are  in  order.    If  skim  or  buttermilk  is  substituted  for  the 
tankage  use  20  times  as  much,  or  with  middlings,  17  times  as  much 
with  equivalent  or  equal  corn  amounts. 

2.  Barley,  rye,  wheat,  speltz,  Kafir  corn,  Milo-maize,  sorghum 
seed  (all  to  be  ground)  and  comparable  feeds  are  quite  similar  to 
corn,  and  may  be  substituted  for  part  or  all  of  the  corn  in  the 
rations  given,  provided  they  are  abundant  and  cheap  enough.  Eye 
is  sometimes  likely  to  cause  digestive  troubles  if  fed  in  large  quan- 
tities but  that  is  dependent  on  the  local  conditions.    Barley  is  a 
most  efficient  substitute  for  corn  and  when  properly  supplemented 
produces  a  most  excellent  quality  of  pork,  but  its  great  drawback 
in  the  corn  country  is  its  relative  high  price.    None  of  these  feeds 
mentioned  are  the  economic  equal  of  corn  when  it  comes  to  pro- 
ducing pork  for  profit  in  the  cornbelt. 

3.  Common  salt  should  always  be  fed  to  hogs,  allowing  it  free- 
will after  they  are  accustomed  to  it.     Our  experimental  findings 
are  indicating  the  truth  of  this  suggestion. 


CHAPTER  III 

PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIE  USE 

To  obtain  a  fairly  adequate  idea  as  to  the  merits  and  uses  of 
different  feeds  employed  in  the  practical  production  of  pork,  it  is 
well  to  take  up  each  feed  separately,  and  discuss  it  from  many 
feed  angles — angles  that  determine  the  feed's  field  of  usefulness 
in  swine  husbandry.  The  points  to  cover  are  practical  economy 
in  the  feeds  used;  particular  outstanding  qualities;  shortcomings 
and  how  remedied;  palatability ;  adaptability;  effect  on  health; 
influence  on  production  of  pork  products;  methods  of  preparation 
necessary;  relative  value  as  compared  to  other  feeds;  general  dis- 
tribution and  appreciation  accorded;  and  general  as  well  as  spe- 
cific information  as  to  how  to  use  the  feed  to  the  best  advantage  in 
rations.  With  these  points  in  mind,  we  shall  begin  with  the  first 
feed — corn  or  Indian  maize  grain. 

Corn  or  Indian  Maize  Grain. — Our  most  efficient  basal  swine 
feed  is  corn.  Corn  grain  is  widely  and  extensively  used  in  suc- 
cessful practice.  Corn  is  highly  relished,  being  a  great  favorite 
among  feeds  when  pigs  are  given  a  chance  to  eat  to  suit  them- 
selves, being  preferred  to  barley,  oats,  rye,  wheat  and  similar  feeds 
so  far  as  quantity  consumed  is  a  measure  of  that  favoritism.  Corn 
is  highly  concentrated,  hence  often  abused  in  its  use.  Why? 
Because  of  its  low  content  of  fibre  and  the  high  value  of  the  feed- 
ing materials  present, 'other  than  fibre,  it  is  a  great  fattening  feed, 
and  as  a  result  breeding  stock  may  often  become  too  fat  on  it; 
further,  because  hogs  like  it  so  well  that  swinemen  are  apt  to  use 
it  to  the  limit,  and  in  many  cases  the  trouble  is  too  much  corn  as 
well  as  too  little  of  some  of  the  essential  feeds  necessary  to  balance 
corn.  There  is  nothing  the  matter  with  corn  in  these  cases,  ex- 
cepting that  it  is  not  handled  right.  One  can  abuse  almost  any 
kind  of  feed  by  using  it  wrongly.  Even  such  a  good  feed  as  milk 
can  be  made  to  appear  relatively  inefficient  if  it  is  not  used  judi- 
ciously and  carefully. 

Corn  a  Healthful  Feed. — Corn  is  a  very  healthful  feed  and  so 
far  as  we  know  does  not  contain  any  toxic  products  as  does  cotton- 
seed meal,  or  linseed  oilmeal  sometimes,  or  the  embryos,  germs  of 
wheat  (found  largely  in  wheat  middlings  and  wheat  bran).  Corn 
produces  a  good  product,  pork  made  from  it  being  sweet  and  quite 
firm  and  of  good  character,  presenting  a  good  appearance.  Lard 
from  corn-fed  hogs  is  especially  good,  because  of  its  whiteness, 
firmness  and  general  appearance.  But  corn  has  its  shortcomings. 
"Corn-alone"  feeding  is  a  bad  procedure.  What  is  the  matter 
with  corn?  Corn  lacks  in  quantity  and  quality  of  protein  for 
practically  all  classes  of  swine  excepting,  possibly,  for  the  short 
finishing  of  hogs  that  have  attained  most  of  their  growth  and  are 

135 


136  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

in  a  good,  healthy  condition  at  the  beginning  of  the  finishing 
period — such  hogs,  for  instance,  as  brood  sows  that  have  weaned 
their  last  litters,  or  heavy,  fairly  mature  200-  to  300-pound  ani- 
mals that  are  ready  for  a  one-  to  two-month  finishing  period,  or 
old  boars  that  have  been  castrated,  and  are  ready  for  fattening, 
to  be  marketed  as  fat  stags.  Young  animals  require  to  have  corn 
balanced,  and  these  feeds  are  most  acceptable:  Milk  of  whatever 
kind  (whole,  skim  or  butter),  meatmeal  tankage,  alfalfa  and  red 
clover  pastures,  rape  forage  and  many  others. 

Corn  and  Alfalfa. — Corn  and  alfalfa  pasture  is  our  greatest 
summer  combination,  both  economically  and  physiologically  speak- 
ing. It  is  the  real  basis  on  which 'to  build  for  greater  swine  profits 
throughout  practically  all  the  United  States,  but  more  especially 
in  those  localities  where  hogs  are  fed  directly  on  the  products  of 
the  soil.  Of  course  corn  and  alfalfa  can  often  be  improved  some- 
what by  the  addition  of  a  little  milk  or  tankage  or  corn  oil  cake- 
meal  or  similar  feeds.  These  two  feeds,  however,  form  the  burWark 
and  foundation  of  the  ration,  the  corn  furnishing  the  fattening 
and  energy  materials  in  general,  which  materials  constitute  in 
reality  the  bulk  of  the  ration,  and  the  alfalfa  making  up  its 
(corn's)  deficiencies  in  protein,  mineral  elements  and  vitamines. 
Corn  and  rape  is  another  good  combination.  Corn  and  red  clover 
is  still  another.  In  sections  where  rape  and  red  clover  do  well, 
they  both  run  a  close  second  to  alfalfa  as  a  general  corn-balancing 
swine  pasture. 

Corn  lacks  not  only  in  quantity  and  quality  of  protein  but  also 
in  mineral  elements;  the  method  of  procedure  is  to  supply  these 
proteins  and  minerals  of  the  right  sort.  Generally  speaking,  in  our 
present  stage  of  knowledge  the  remedy  is  to  supply  these  good 
quality  proteins  and  minerals  through  the  use  of  feeds  that  con- 
tain them  in  the  largest  quantity,  such  high-protein  feeds,  for  in- 
stance, as  alfalfa  pasture  or  alfalfa  hay  (for  broodsows  particu- 
larly), red  clover  pasture,  rape  forage,  meatmeal  tankage  and 
most  acceptably  of  all  any  of  the  milks.  These  are  rich  indeed  in 
needed  mineral  elements,  and  ^are  splendid  because  of  this.  In 
addition,  however,  it  is  well  to  supply  certain  standard  minerals, 
letting  pigs  have  them  free-choice  style,  putting  each  of  them  in 
separate  containers,  so  that  pigs  can  run  thereto  whenever  they 
will.  These  minerals  may  be  mentioned  and  emphasized. 
\ 

Limestone. — This  should  preferably  be  finely  ground.  The 
ordinary  chalk  found  in  the  Dover  cliffs  of  England  is  really  a 
pure  limestone,  being,  chemically  speaking,  practically  entirely  a 
calcium  carbonate.  Generally,  we  prefer  a.  calcium  rather  than  a 
magnesium  limestone,  although  we  are  a  little  inclined  to  believe 
that  a  good  calcium  limestone  with  a  small  content  of  magnesium 
is  satisfactory.  Limestone  furnishes  particularly  the  calcium 
which  makes  up  some  40  percent  of  the  dry  ash  of  bone.  A  grow- 
ing pig  cannot  eat  enough  corn  to  supply  the  lime  or  calcium  con- 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  13? 

tent  necessary  for  his  own  bones'  normal  development;  hence  it 
must  be  supplied,  and  by  feeding  limestone  in  a  separate  feeder 
this  need  is  taken  care  of.  If  limestone,  which,  by  the  way,  is  the 
cheapest  form  we  know  of,  cannot  be  secured,  then  dependence 
can  be  placed  on  air-slacked  lime,  which  is  practically  the  same 
thing,  only  in  a  finer  stage  of  division.  This  can  be  secured  at 
almost  any  lumber  yard.  Pigs  sometimes  eat  the  cement  from  the 
foundations  of  buildings  in  order  to  get  the  necessary  lime  for  their 
development.  We  well  remember  having  a  bunch  of  pigs  that  did 
this.  They  ate  large  holes  into  the  foundation  wall  of  a  certain 
building  next  to  which  they  were  quartered. 

In  practice  many  prefer  finely  ground  b<5ne  meal  as  the  cal- 
cium source — in  furnishing  both  calcium  and  phosphorus.  The 

author  is  inclined  to  the  same  preference. 

*  > 

Rock  Phosphate. — This  should  preferably  be  finely-ground, 
really  powdered.  Rock  phosphate  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  the 
remains  of  animals,  and  hence  we  find  large  quantities  of  calcium 
and  phosphorus  present,  as  in  bone.  These  two  chemical  elements 
comprise  the  basal  elements  of  bone,  so  much  so,  in  fact,  that  when 
we  speak  of  tri-calcium  phosphate  we  instinctively  think  of  bone. 
Rock  phosphate  will  supply  both  the  calcium  and  phosphorus,  and 
there  is  not  so  much  need  for  limestone  when  the  rock  phosphate 
is  available.  Remember,  however,  that  limestone  does  not  furnish 
phosphorus ;  hence  even  with  limestone  in  the  ration,  phosphate  is 
advisable.  Bonemeal  from  the  packing  house  is  rich  also  in  cal- 
cium and  phosphorus  and  carries  some  protein  and  fat  and  may 
take  the  place  of  the  rock  phosphate,  being  more  acceptable  but 
somewhat  more  expensive  relatively.  It  only  takes  a  small  per- 
centage of  the  total  feed  as  bone  meal,  usually  not  over  1,  more 
likely  less,  hence  a  little  greater  expense  in  such  a  small  item 
is  hardly  noticeable. 

Wood  Ashes. — Wood  ashes  contain  three  elements  that  are 
particularly  advantageous — calcium,  phosphorus  and  potassium. 
All  are  essential  in  the  make-up  of  the  animal  body.  About  one- 
half  of  the  wood  ashes  is  calcium  carbonate  or  a  pure  limestone. 
Wood  ashes  have  been  widely  used  for  years  and  years  by  success- 
ful hogmen,  and  the  practice  of  using  them  is  good  and  sound. 

Common  Salt. — By  all  means  supply  common  salt  freely.  Some 
folk  have  the  idea  that  it  should  not  be  allowed,  but  nevertheless 
it  should.  .  Some  experimental  tests  at  Ames  clearly  have  shown 
that  common  salt  allowed  at  free-will  is  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
ration.  It  costs  little,  but  it  may  yield  a  high  return.  To  get  an 
idea  as  to  the  results  we  have  had  in  the  feeding  of  salt,  we  present 
the  results  on  some  well-grown  young  swine  of  approximately  150 
pounds  average  weight.  These  pigs  received  a  basal  ration  of  corn, 
linseed  oilmeal,  in  the  ratio  of  6.1  pounds  of  corn  to  each  pound 
of  linseed  oilmeal.  Eight  pigs  were  in  a  group,  there  being 
five  groups  in  all.  These  groups  were  fed  as  follows : 


138  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

Group  1.  Corn  plus  linseed  oilmeal,  basal  ration.  Group  2. 
Same  as  Group  1,  excepting  the  pigs  got  a  little  more  than  3/5  of 
an  even  ounce  of  salt  daily  per  group,  or  about  1/13  of  an  ounce  per 
pig  daily.  This  was  mixed  with  the  feed.  Group  3.  Same  as  Lot 
2,  excepting  twice  as  much  salt,  practically  2/13  of  an  ounce  daily 
per  pig.  Group  4.  Same  as  Group  -2,  excepting  four  times  as  much 
salt,  practically  4/13  of  an  ounce  daily  per  pig.  This  is  a  little 
over  !/3  ounce.  Group  5.  Same  as  Group  1,  excepting  that  salt 
was  allowed  ad  libitum,  or  free-choice  style,  being  placed  in  a 
separate  trough.  This  group  of  pigs  consumed  on  the  average 
practically  an  ounce  of  salt  daily,  or  one-eighth  of  an  ounce  per 
head  daily. 

This  experiment  was  run  for  a  check  period  of  90  days  before 
salt  was  fed,  and  during  this  90-day  period  all  groups  were  fed 
the  same  proportion  of  corn  and  linseed  oilmeal;  then  after  these 
90  days  were  passed  the  groups  were  fed  as  stated  with  their  dif- 
ferent allowances  of  salt.  As  soon  as  salt  was  allowed  we  find  that 
for  71  days  following  the  first  period,  or  for  the  71  days  during 
which  they  were  on  salt,  for  every  84.24  pounds  gain  made  by  Group 
1,  receiving  no  salt,  Group  2  gained  practically  10  pounds  more  or 
94.02  pounds.  This  shows  the  advantage  of  a  little  salt.  Group 
3  gained  more  than  12  pounds  more  or  96.97  pounds,  showing  a 
still  greater  advantage  from  feeding  salt  in  just  a  little  greater 
quantity.  Group  4  gained  94.13  pounds,  which  was  not  quite  10 
pounds  more,  indicating  that  too  much  salt  can  be  fed  where  it  is 
mixed  with  the  feeds.  The  most  interesting  development  was  that 
Group  5,  receiving  salt  ad  libitum,  gained  practically  13  pounds 
more  on  the  same  basis,  or  97.23  pounds,  showing  quite  clearly,  so 
far  as  this  test  is  concerned,  that  ad  libitum  or  free-choice  feed- 
ing is  the  best,  so  far  as  the  gain  is  concerned. 

It  is  easy  to  allow  salt  free-choice  style.  We  do  it  by  giving 
pigs  free  access  to  salt,  using  the  rock  salt  preferably  to  prevent 
waste.  We  think  there  is  no  question  that  if  pigs  really  need  salt 
very  badly  they  will  be  able  to  get  it  from  the  rock  variety.  We 
like  very  much  the  block  salt,  which  is  on  the  market,  and  prefer 
it  to  the  rock,  because  it  is  not  so  hard  and  because  pigs  can  get 
more  of  it  in  less  time,  and  yet  it  is  hard  enough  to  prevent  waste 
when  it  is  under  cover. 

Let  us  now  look  to  the  feed  requirement  for  100  pounds  of  gain 
during  the  salt-feeding  period  of  71  days.  For  every  101.88  pounds 
of  feed  required  to  produce  a  unit  gain,  Lot  2  required  94.29 
pounds;  Lot  3,  91.56  pounds;  Lot  4,  89.92  pounds  and  Lot  5,  the 
best  of  all,  only  89.36  pounds.  Hence  we  see  that  all  groups  that 
received  salt  required  less  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain  on  this 
interpretation  than  did  the  no-salt  group,  and  also  that  where  the 
salt  was  allowed  free-choice  style  the  most  creditable  showing  was 
made. 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  139 

Let  us  bear  in  mind  that  too  much  common  salt  fed  sud- 
denly may  cause  trouble.  Accustom  pigs  to  it  slowly,  and  do  not 
throw  in  the  troughs  any  brine  in  which  salt  pork  has  been,  be- 
cause in  this  case  pigs,  particularly  if  they  have  not  been  getting 
meatmeal  tankage  or  similar  feeds,  will  be  so  anxious  because  of 
the  meat  flavor  of  the  salt  brine  to  consume  it  that  they  may  con- 
sume an  extraordinary  amount,  and  the  salt  in  it  may  kill  them. 
Primarily,  we  think,  in  these  cases,  because  of  the  favorable  meat 
flavor  of  the  salt  brine,  they  over-consume.  But  then,  too,  salt 
thrown  out  to  the  pigs  even  in  its  original  form  is  apt  to  cause 
trouble,  if  they  have  been  starved  from  it  for  a  long  time. 

Sulphur. — This  may  be  allowed.  We  are  not  sure  of  the 
efficiency  of  sulphur,  but  believe  that  powdered  sulphur  or  Glau- 
ber's salts,  which  is  really  a  sodium  sulphate,  can  be  allowed  to 
pigs  to  good  advantage.  Perhaps  both  can  be  allowed  but  we  are 
inclined  to  favor  the  Glauber's  salts.  We  hope  to  have  something 
more  definite  to  offer  on  this  later.  These  sulphur  compounds  are 
supposedly  valuable  because  they  furnish  sulphur,  which  is  an 
essential  constituent  of  bodily  protoplasm  and  which  must  be  pres- 
ent in  the  ration  somewhere,  or  else  an  animal  cannot  grow 
properly. 

Charcoal  or  Slack  Coal. — Just  why  charcoal,  slack  coal  or 
partially  burned  cobs  are  fed — they  all  being  of  about  the  same 
character — is  not  exactly  known.  It  is  usually  said  that  charcoal 
is  fine  because  it  absorbs  alimentary  gases,  but  no  one  has  yet  dem- 
onstrated that  the  gases  should  necessarily  be  absorbed  in  this 
manner.  Anyhow,  apparently,  they  offer  some  advantages.  We 
believe  that  if  these  materials  are  supplied  to  pigs,  and  they  eat 
of  them,  the  chances  are  that  they  may  do  some  good.  We  have 
found  that  pigs  receiving  corn  alone  are  more  likely  to  eat  large 
quantities  of  charcoal  or  slack  coal  than  those  that  have  a  prop- 
erly balanced  ration,  made  up  of  corn  and  meatmeal  tankage,  or 
corn  and  milk,  and  we  have  found  that  pigs  that  have  been  furn- 
ished with  corn  and  meatmeal  tankage  free-choice  style  during  the 
entire  period  of  their  lives  in  drylot  eat  very  little  charcoal  in  their 
earlier  stages  of  development,  when  they  are  on  a  heavy  tankage 
ration,  consuming  up  to  say  %  to  %  of  a  pound  daily.  But  when 
pigs  reach  300  pounds  or  thereabouts,  and  are  living  practically 
entirely  on  corn  (maybe  1  percent  would  be  meatmeal  tankage), 
then  they  begin  to  eat  charcoal,  eating  more  in  one  day  than  in 
their  whole  previous  lives,  and  not  only  one  lot  that  we  have  ex- 
perimented with  but  many  have  done  this,  thus  indicating  that 
there  is  a  newly-developed  need,  after  hogs  come  down  to  prac- 
tically entirely  corn. 

0 

Some  day  we  may  know  more  about  mineral  mixtures,  but  to- 
day we  are  in  a  transition  state  of  knowledge  concerning  these 
mixtures,  and  so  long  as  things  are  uncertain  in  regard  to  them  we 
prefer  not  to  give  mixtures,  but  would  emphasize  the  free-choice 


140  HOW  TO  E*EED  YOUR  HOGS 

style  in  the  feeding  of  the  materials  mentioned.  We  believe,  how- 
ever, that  some  mixtures  are  quite  acceptable,  mixtures,  for  in- 
stance, such  as  bone  meal  100  parts  with  common  salt  50  parts,  or 
wood  asLes  and  salt,  and  some  others. 

Corn  Lacks  in  Fat  Soluble  A. — This  is  secured  in  alfalfa,  rape, 
red  clover,  meatmeal  tankage,  milk  and  so  on.  Green  feeds  help 
out  wonderfully.  Roots,  such  as  carrots,  are  advantageous,  because 
a  pound  of  carrots  contains  as  much  as  %  of  a  pound  of  this  vita- 
mine  material  of  unknown  chemical  composition.  In  the  main  the 
shortcomings  mentioned  are  the  only  ones  that  may  be  charged  up 
against  corn,  but  these  are  borne  to  a  large  degree  also  by  barley, 
wheat,  rye,  sorghum  grains,  emmer  and  potatf  es ;  hence  when  we 
learn  to  balance  corn  we  learn  to  balance  these  other  feeds,  which 
are  tho  main  feeds  of  pork  production.  Practically  all  of  these 
feeds  mentioned  as  basal  concentrates  in  pork  production — barley, 
wheat,  rye  and  so  on — may  therefore  be  balance^,  with  the  same 
supplements  that  balance  corn.  These  supplements  are  milk,  tank- 
age, alfalfa,  clover,  rape  and  so  on.  Corn  is  splendid  for  pregnant 
sows,  sucking  pigs,  boars,  dry  sows,  maintenance  hogs  and  others. 
With  the  brood  sows,  of  course,  one  must  be  careful,  because  they 
are  inclined  to  overfeed  and  that  may  interfere  with  the  breeding 
regime,  more  especially  of  extreme  lard-type  hogs.  However,  a  mod- 
erate amount  of  corn  may  always  be  fed  with  much  psychological 
profit,  particularly  economical  profit,  in  the  heart  of  the  cornbelt. 

Preparing  Corn  for  Hogs. — The  question  of  the  preparation  of 
corn  needs  a  little  discussion.  Of  all  of  our  basal  grains,  however, 
corn  requires  the  least  general  all-around  preparation.  To  get  a 
comprehensive  idea  as  to  the  necessity  of  soaking  shelled  corn,  or 
grinding  it  into  meal,  or  both  grinding  and  soaking  the  grain,  it  is 
well  to  give  a  little  experimental  evidence  to  bring  home  to  the 
swineman  the  fact  that  corn,  generally  speaking,  does  not  need 
much  preparation.  At  the  outset,  however,  we  emphasize  that  ear 
corn  is  the  best  all-around  preparation,  and  that  shelled  corn  runs 
it  a  close  second.  We  speak  of  ear  corn  as  being  a  preparation- 
because  the  husks  are  removed.  Some  young  pigs  weighing  50 
pounds  at  the  beginning  and  140  pounds  at  the  finish  of  a  140-day 
feeding  test  had  been  run  from  weaning  time  in  early  summer  to 
late  in  November  on  grass,  being  fed  four  different  preparations — 
dry  ear  corn,  soaked  shelled  corn,  dry  ground  corn  and  soaked 
ground  corn  and  they  gave  results  as  follows : 


Preparation 

Daily  Grain 
Eaten  per  Pig 

Average 
Daily  Gain 

Grain  per  100 
Pounds  Gain 

Dry  ear 

3  37 

.74 

456 

Soaked  shelled  
Dry  ground  corn 

3.24 
3  60 

.63 
.61 

513 
595 

Soaked  ground  corn  

3.98 

.72 

555 

Peculiarly  enough,  for  these  young,  rapidly-growing  weaning 
pigs,  dry  ear  corn  was  the  best  preparation,  and  not  onlyNfrom  the 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE 


141 


standpoint  of  average  daily  gains  made  but  also  from  the  stand- 
point of  least  grain  required  for  100  pounds  of  gain.  If  the  corn 
must  be  prepared  rather  than  grind  or  grind  it  and  soak  it,  it  is 
better  simply  to  shell  it  and  soak  it. 

What  will  happen  with  pigs  of  a  little  larger  weight?  Some 
100-pound  shotes  were  fed  140  days  from  early  spring  to  the 
middle  of  the  summer.  They  had  a  final  weight  of  about  290 
pounds.  Their  ration  was  92  percent  corn  grain  and  8  percent 
meatmeal  tankage,  this  being  allowed  in  drylot.  The  following 
table  shows  that  as  £igs  grow  older  they  get  greater  relative  benefit 
from  the  more  elaborate  preparations: 


Preparation 

Diily  Grain 
Eaten  per  Pig 

Average 
Daily  Gain 

Grain  per  100 
Pounds  Gain 

Dry  ear  
Soaked  shelled 

6.15 
5  74 

1.32 
1  30 

465 
442 

Dry  ground  corn  *  

5.60 

1.21 

463 

Soaked  ground  corn  

6.75 

1.52 

445 

But  here  again  we  notice  that  if  the  corn  is  to  be  prepared  soak- 
ing is  a  fine  way  to  prepare  the  shelled  corn,  although  the  results 
are  close  in  all  instances.  One  can  study  these  figures  and  suit  him- 
self as  to  best  methods  of  procedure. 

Let  us  figure  out  what  happens  to  still  larger  hogs  —  hogs 
weighing  about  200  pounds  at  the  start  and  fed  84  days  to  a 
final  weight  of  about  360  pounds.  The  ration  was  corn  grain 
91  percent  and  meatmeal  tankage  9  percent,  fed  in  spring  and 
summer  dry  yards.  The  table  showing  the  results  of  four  different 
corn  preparations — the  same  preparations  fed  to  younger  swine 
above — follows : 


Preparation 

Daily  Grain 
Eaten  per  Head 

Average 
Daily  Gain 

Grain  per  100 
Pounds  Gain 

Dry  ear 

8  14 

1   74 

468 

Soaked  shelled  
Dry  ground  corn  

8.65 
8.99 

1.92 
1  99 

449 
452 

Soaked  ground  corn  

9.22 

2.00 

461 

Now  we  notice  that  as  swine  get  older,  and  heavier,  and  more 
mature,  the  dry  ear  corn  can  be  shelled  and  soaked  to  advantage, 
and,  further,  that  soaking  and  shelling  are  as  advantageous,  gen- 
erally speaking,  as  was  the  grinding  or  grinding  and  soaking. 

What  happens  to  still  more  mature  hogs,  such  as  old  sows  weigh- 
ing about  200  pounds  and  fed  to  a  final  weight  of  335  pounds,  on 
the  ratio  of  corn  grain  93.3  percent  and  meatmeal  tankage  6.7  per- 
cent in  fall  dry  yards  for  59  days  ?  The  answer  follows : 


142  HOW  TO  PEED  YOUR  HOGS 


Preparation 

Daily  Grain 
Eaten  per  Head 

Average 
Daily  Gain 

Grain  per  100 
Pounds  Gain 

Dry  ear 

8  73 

2  04 

427 

Soaked  shelled 

9  89 

2  49 

398 

Dry  ground  coin.      ... 

9  65 

2  40 

401 

Soaked  ground  corn 

9  87 

2  44 

405 

Again  the  figures  show  that  preparation  for  older  hogs  is  in 
order,  but  that  soaking  shelled  corn  is  equally  if  not  more  advan- 
tageous than  grinding,  or  grinding  and  soaking. 

From  the  results  given,  therefore,  we  may  rightfully  conclude 
that  young  pigs  make  relatively  faster  and  more  economical  gains 
on  dry  ear  corn  than  they  do  on  soaked  shelled  corn,  or  dry  ground 
corn,  or  soaked  ground  corn,  and,  furthermore,  that  as  pigs  grow 
older,  and  heavier,  the  corn  that  is  prepared  makes  a  little  more 
rapid  gains  and  requires  a  little  less  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain, 
but  in  any  case,  drawing  broad  conclusions,  soaketj  shelled  corn  is 
to  be  generally  preferred  to  dry  ground  corn  or  soaked  ground  corn. 

Indiana  Results.— A  word  as  regards  the  results  of  Prof.  F.  G. 
King  of  Indiana  along  the  same  line.  He  fed  swine  of  different 
weights  and  ages  on  three  different  corn  preparations — ear  corn, 
dry  shelled  corn  and  ground  corn  (just  wet  enough  so  it  would  not 
be  thrown  out  of  the  troughs  by  the  pigs  while  eating).  In  all 
instances  the  corn  was  balanced  with  a  little  wheat  middlings  or 
wheat  middlings  and  tankage.  As  we  study  the  figures  we  conclude 
without  presenting  them  for  consideration  that  shelled  corn  as  com- 
pared to  ear  corn  for  young  pigs  is  about  equally  good,  not  only 
as  regards  the  gains  made  but  the  feed  required  for  100  pounds  of 
gain.  There  is  little  difference  in  these  two.  The  older  swine  above 
100  pounds  show  that  ear  corn  is  apparently  a  little  better  feed, 
although  the  differences  are  relatively  slight  and  within  the  limits 
of  experimental  error.  Ground  corn,  as  compared  to  ear  corn,  is 
just  a  little  less  efficient  for  real  young  pigs,  although^  only  slightly 
so ;  whereas  for  older  swine  ground  corn  comes  into  its  own,  becom- 
ing more  and  more  efficient  as  the  hogs  get  older  and  heavier,  in 
that  the  gains  are  a  little  more  rapid  and  the  feed  required  for  100 
pounds  of  gain  is  a  little  less.  The  results  show  a  saving  of  some 
17  pounds  of  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain  where  ground  corn  is 
fed  as  compared  to  ear  corn  for  pigs  weighing  140  to  220  pounds 
at  the  beginning  of  the  feeding  test.  Roughly  speaking,  this  would 
mean  a  saving  of  about  4  percent  in  feed,  which  is  hardly  sufficient 
to  cover  the  cost  of  shelling,  grinding  and  wetting  when  corn  is  low 
in  price.  When  corn  is  high  in  price  it  may  do  so.  But  the  point 
is  that  soaked  shelled  corn  is  as  efficient  as  ground  corn;  hence 
why  grind?  Why  waste  time?  Why  wear  out  a  feed  grinder  for 
this  purpose? 

Of  course,  if  one  has  show  stock,  it  is  a  case  of  doing  anything 
reasonable  to  stimulate  the  appetite,  and  a  little  ground  corn  is 
useful  in  such  a  situation.  We  prefer  usually  to  wet  or  soak  the 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  143 

feed  that  is  ground  in  such  cases.  For  sucking  pigs  we  think  a 
little  soaked  shelled  corn  effectual  in  getting  them  started,  this 
being  fed  along  with  the  dry.  We  also  think  that  for  suckling 
sows  the  soaking  of  some  of  the  shelled  or  ground  corn  is  ad- 
vantageous. 

Corn  and  Cobmeal.— Corn  and  cobmeal  is  a  poor  swine  feed; 
for  young  growing  pigs  it  is  a  delusion  and  a  disappointment, 
being  too  fibrous  and  coarse.  It  actually  requires  more  corn  grain 
to  produce  100  pounds  of  gain  on  young,  growing  pigs  when  such 
feed  is  fed  than  where  dry  ear  corn  as  allowed  or  soaked  shelled 
corn  or  any  other  ordinary  preparation.  Soaking  the  corn  and 
cobmeal  helps  some,  but  even  then  it  is  unprofitable.  About  the 
only  place  the  swine  show  that  corn  cobmeal  can  be  used  with  any 
degree  of  satisfaction  is  with  the  brood  sow  that  is  being  carried 
through  the  winter,  but  even  in  that  case  corn  and  cobmeal  has 
little  to  recommend  it  as  compared  to  ear  corn  or  shelled  corn. 
To  illustrate  the  point,  experimental  evidence  is  submitted.  We 
had  four  groups  of  yearling  sows  on  four  preparations.  Lot  1 
was  fed  ear  corn ;  Lot  2,  corn  and  cobmeal ;  Lot  3,  shelled  corn ;  and 
Lot  4,  ground  corn.  They  received  in  addition  to  4  pounds  of  corn 
grain  per  head  daily  (the  cob  was  thrown  in  extra,  over  and  above 
grain  in  Lot  2)  %  of  a  pound  each  of  meatmeal  tankage,  linseed 
oilmeal  and  wheat  middlings,  together  with  as  much  salt  as  they 
wished  at  free-will.  The  results  tell  an  interesting  story.  Inas- 
much as  the  feed  was  kept  the  same  in  all  groups,  so  far  as  the 
grain  was  concerned,  the  average  daily  gain  per  sow,  compara- 
tively speaking,  tells  a  true  tale.  Lot  1  gained  .65  pounds  daily; 
Lot  2,  .66 ;  Lot  3,  .67 ;  and  Lot  4,  .61,  showing  clearly  that  ear  corn 
was  as  good  as  the  corn  and  cobmeal,  or  the  shelled  corn,  but  that 
ground  corn  was  the  poorest  of  all.  We  don't  know  just  how  to 
explain  this,  and  hope  to  repeat  the  test,  so  far  as  the  ground  corn 
is  concerned,  but  feel  certain  that  the  corn  and  cobmeal  will  not 
show  up  to  any  better  advantage. 

The  salt  consumption  is  interesting.  More  than  four  times  as 
much  salt  was  eaten  where  corn  and  cobmeal  was  allowed  as  where 
ground  corn  was  fed,  showing  that  the  cob  introduced  into  the 
ration  encouraged  salt  consumption,  possibly  because  of  the  high 
potassium  content,  but  inasmuch  as  salt  is  cheap  this  makes  little 
difference.  That  all  of  these  rations  were  splendid,  and  that  any 
of  the  preparations  did  not  adversely  affect  the  new-born  pig  to 
any  degree  is  shown  by  the  average  weight  and  vigor  of  the  differ- 
ent groups.  The  little  pigs  from  the  ear  corn  fed  sows  weighed 
2.51  pounds  each  on  an  average;  corn  and  cobmeal  pigs,  2.48; 
shelled  corn  pigs,  2.42;  and  ground  corn  pigs,  2.47.  This  is  a 
"toss-up,"  and  we  should  consider  all  groups  as  having  done 
equally  well.  The  average  vigor  was  close  to  90  percent  perfect 
in  all  cases.  This  goes  to  show  that  with  a  large  amount  of  corn 
in  the  ration,  properly  balanced,  for  brood  sows,  good,  strong,  husky 
pigs  can  be  produced,  and  we  have  found  that  when  milk  is  used  to 


144  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

i  : 

balance  the  corn  ration,  or  meatmeal  tankage,  or  alfalfa  hay,  either 
ground  or  fed  in  a  rack,  or  good  green  pastures  of  alfalfa,  or  red 
clover,  or  rape,  good,  strong  pigs  can  be  produced,  even  though  the 
major  portion  of  the  ration  is  corn;  and  we  have  further  found 
that,  as  a  general  rule,  we  have  not  only  got  better,  bigger,  stronger, 
more  thickly-coated  and  more  nicely-boned  pigs  where  we  have 
properly  supplemented  the  corn,  but  the  pigs  have  cost  less  money 
at  farrowing  time,  particularly  where  we  used  meatmeal  tankage, 
or  alfalfa  hay,  or  milk,  or  any  of  the  good  pastures  mentioned. 

Corn  and  Other  Feeds. — Corn,  as  compared  to  other  feeds  is 
more  valuable  per  pound  than  barley  or  rye.  Good,  dry  corn  has 
about  the  same  value  as  ordinary  feeding  wheat,  although  any  corn 
in  the  fall  that  runs  30  per  cent  moisture  does  not  compare  favor- 
ably with  wheat,  because  it  is  low  in  the  particular  material  that 
does  the  real  business  in  producing  hog  gains,  namely,  dry  matter. 
On  the  dry  matter  basis,  good  hard  old  corn  running  10  per  cent 
water,  which  is  considerably  below  the  average,  contains  in  every 
100  pounds  of  corn,  90  pounds  of  dry  matter.  In  the  fall  when  new 
corn  comes  on,  particularly  in  a  year  when  frosts  come  a  little  early, 
30  percent  corn  is  not  at  all  unusual.  Such  corn  contains  70  pounds 
of  dry  matter  in  100  pounds,  or  20  pounds  less  than  good,  hard 
corn.  The  comparative  value  is,  therefore,  primarily  dependent 
upon  the  comparative  amount  of  dry  matter  present  in  each  100 
pounds  of  these  respective  corns,  or  a  comparison  of  70.  with  90. 
In  other  words,  it  will  take  as  many  100  pounds  of  this  softer  corn 
to  equal  100  pounds  of  good  hard  corn  as  70  is  contained  into  90  or 
128.57  pounds,  or,  comparing  it  on  the  other  basis,  100  pounds  of 
30  percent  moisture  corn  is  equivalent  in  feeding  value  to  77.7  of 
good  hard  corn.  Of  course,  this  comparison  is  on  a  dry  matter 
basis.  We  believe  that  in  actual  practice  new  corn  dry  matter  is  a 
little  more  valuable,  pound  for  pound,  than  old  corn  dry  matter, 
when  both  are  fed  in  the  natural  state ;  but  if  one  will  take  the  trou- 
ble to  soak  the  old  corn,  then  there  should  be  little  difference.  At 
any  rate,  this  difference  on  account  of  degree  of  hardness  of  the 
grain  is  relatively  small  as  compared  to  the  big  difference  in  values 
for  each  100  pounds  based  on  the  dry  matter  content.  We  give  this 
at  some  length  to  emphasize  that  when  comparing  other  feeds  with 
corn  it  is  quite  essential  to  know  what  kind  of  corn  one  is  talking 
about.  There  is  more  difference  between  different  corns  of  varying 
moisture  percentages. than  there  is  for  instance  between  good  corn 
and  good  wheat.  It  is  similar  to  the  old,  old  story  of  there  being 
more  differences  within  certain  breeds  than  there  is  between  the 
average  of  one  particular  breed  and  the  average  of  some  other  breed. 

Soft  Corn. — Soft  corn  varies  much,  depending  on  its  moisture 
content,  and  in  determining  its  value  it  is  well  to  take  a  sample  to 
a  nearby  elevator  and  have  the  moisture  determined,  and  then  com- 
pare the  different  corns  examined  upon  the  basis  of  dry  matter  fur- 
nished by  100  pounds  of  each,  the  dry  matter  being  determined  by 
simply  subtracting  the  moisture  percentage  from  100.  For  instance, 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  145 

if  corn  runs  30  percent  moisture,  according  to  the  elevator  deter- 
mination (which,  by  the  way,  is  an  oil  method  devised  by  the  Gov- 
ernment), the  dry  matter  content  will  be  70  pounds  in  each  100 
pounds  (or  100  minus  30  which  equals  70).  Soft  corn  is  especially 
good  for  pigs.  They  relish  it  and  do  well  on  it,  and  it  is  surprising 
how  well  hogs  will  handle  soft  corn,  even  though  it  is  quite  moldy 
and  of  poor  appearance.  We  must  remember,  however,  that  with 
soft  corn  more  tankage  should  be  fed  than  with  hard  corn,  possibly 
because  the  germs  are  cut  short  in  development.  Our  advice  would 
be  that  when  soft  corn  is  fed  along  with  tankage  it  would  be  well 
to  secure  some  corn  oil  cake  meal,  which  is  really  the  corn  germs, 
with  the  oil  mostly  pressed  out,  and  feed  it  in  conjunction.  In  this 
way  tankage  will  be  saved,  and  the  pigs  should  make  more  rapid 
gains. 

Corn  and  Pork  Prices. — The  great  importance  of  corn  has  been 
emphasized  by  the  Food  Administration.  It  realized  that  swine 
production  in  America  centers  to  a  large  extent  around  corn,  in 
truth  to  such  an  extent  that  a  definite  ratio  exists  between  the  price 
of  a  bushel  of  No.  2  corn  in  Chicago  compared  with  100  pounds  of 
average  hogs.  This  ratio  for  the  ten  years  ending  in  1916  was  11.67 
or,  more  plainly  speaking,  as  an  average  for  those  ten  years,  an 
average  100  pounds  of  live  hog,  Chicago,  would  buy  at  the  same 
point  11.67  bushels  of  No.  2  corn.  The  commission  appointed  by 
Herbert  C.  Hoover  composed  of  seven  members  (the  author  was 
chairman),  determined  that  on  the  average  it  takes,  under  present 
(1917)  conditions,  approximately  the  equivalent  of  12  bushels  of 
No.  2  corn  to  produce  100  pounds  of  marketable  swine  on  the  aver- 
age farm.  This  is  not  all  corn,  of  course,  but  it  is  expressed  in  corn 
equivalent;  in  other  words,  it  might  take  9  bushels  of  corn  to  do 
the  actual  feeding,  then  the  money  secured  for  the  other  3  bushels 
would  pay  for  the  risk,  interest,  supplementary  concentrates  and 
other  feeds,  pastures,  depreciation,  buildings  and  marketing.  In 
practice  the  man  who  secures  100  pounds  of  gain  from  500  pounds 
of  grain,  corn  furnishing  the  major  part  or  upwards  of  80  percent, 
is  doing  well.  This  figure  includes  the  feed  fed  all  hogs  on  the 
farm,  but  it  takes  into  consideration  no  losses  except  of  pigs  before 
weaning  time.  It  is  possible  to  produce  pigs  from  weaning  time  on 
to  225  or  250  pounds  with  an  outlay  not  to  exceed  400  pounds  of 
feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain,  but  this  is  one  of  the  most  efficient 
periods  in  swine  husbandry,  because  when  we  start  at  weaning  time 
we  start  with  a  pig  that  has  a  considerable  number  of  charges 
against  him — such  as  sow  feed,  boar  feed,  labor  and  so  on,  and 
that  is  why  weanling  pigs  sell  for  much  more  than  the  market  price. 
Hence  it  is  unwise  for  anyone  to  show  how  profitable  swine  hus- 
bandry is  by  using  a  feeding  record  which  covers  a  period  from 
weaning  time  to  marketable  weight.  Such  a  method  is  misleading 
to  the  novice. 

Barley. — This  is  a  fine  feed  for  swine.  It  is  especially  used  to 
advantage  in  the  western  part  of  the  country,  and  in  some  sections 


146  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS' 

it  is  the  main  basal  feed.  Barley  together  with  alfalfa  makes  an 
especially  good  combination,  although  not  so  good  as  corn  and 
alfalfa.  Barley  ranks  next  to  corn  as  an  all-around  basal  feed. 
Corn  in  the  cornbelt  outyields  it,  and  that  is  an  important  consider- 
ation. Barley  is  quite  palatable  and  good  for  all  classes  of  swine, 
but  it  is  a  little  too  fibrous  for  taking  hogs  to  a  heavy  finish.  Swine 
can  be  pretty  well  finished  on  barley,  but  not  so  well  as  on  corn,  and, 
furthermore,  it  takes  longer  to  finish  them,  hence  the  tendency  in 
the  barley-producing  countries  is  to  produce  hogs  of  relatively 
lighter  weights  than  in  the  cornbelt,  and  in  some  barley  sections  the 
bacon  type  of  swine  is  particularly  favorable  because  of  the  fact 
that  necessarily  good  bacon  hogs  should  go  to  market  at  around  175 
to  200  pounds,  and  thus  barley  does  not  reach  the  period  of  its 
handicap,  the  high  finishing  period  from  200  up  to  300  pounds. 
Barley  has  practically  the  same  deficiencies  as  corn,  and  the  same 
supplements  may  be  used  for  it  as  have  been  recommended  for  corn. 
Barley  is  healthful,  relatively  speaking,  and  produces  an  excellent 
quality  of  pork.  The  fat  is  hard  and  white,  and  the  quality  of 
bacon  made  from  barley,  particularly  when  it  is  combined  with 
milk,  very  good.  The  preparation  of  barley  is  more  complex  than 
that  of  corn,  because  it  must  be  ground  or  rolled,  if  best  results  are 
to  be  secured ;  in  truth,  it  is  not  profitable  to  feed  barley  whole  to 
swine.  In  practically  all  cases  it  should  be  ground,  and  preferably 
wet  or  better  still  soaked  for  24  hours  before  feeding.  The  labor 
and  time  spent  in  correct  preparation  of  barley  yield  big  returns. 
In  the  matter  of  preparation  corn  grain  has  a  big  advantage  over 
barley,  because  labor  and  time  are  saved,  inasmuch  as  the  corn  does 
not  have  to  be  prepared,  while  barley  does. 

Barley  is  about  85  to  90  percent  as  valuable,  pound  for  pound, 
as  good  dry  corn  or  wheat,  though  dry  barley  is  more  valuable  than 
30  percent  moisture  corn.  Keep  in  mind  in  these  comparisons  that 
we  refer  to  a  good  No.  2  corn,  containing  not  more  than  14  percent 
moisture.  One  pound  of  barley  dry  matter  is  hardly  so  good  as 
a  pound  of  corn  dry  matter. 

Wheat. — Because  of  the  great  value  of  wheat  for  human  con- 
sumption in  ordinary  times  it  cannot  be  used  to  a  large  extent  for 
swine  feeding  purposes,  except  in  a  minor  way.  Of  course  there  is 
a  great  tendency  even  in  war  times  to  feed  considerable  wheat  to 
swine,  but  this  is  because  wheat  in  many  sections  is  really  worth 
less  cents  per  100  pounds  than  corn,  and,  hence  is  used  when  such 
conditions  prevail.  Being  used  for  human  consumption,  the  price 
of  wheat  usually  puts  it  out  of  the  reach  of  swine.  The  fact  that 
wheat  is  used  in  poultry  feeding  to  good  advantage  also  means  that 
swine  have  a  stiff  competitor. 

People  and  poultry  can  outbid  swine  for  products  that  are  equal- 
ly well-adapted  to  all  three.  As  a  result,  wheat  feeding  with  swine  is 
largely  confined  to  the  feeding  of  its  by-products.  Wheat  is  quite 
palatable,  praticularly  when  ground  and  soaked.  It  produces  a 
good  quality  of  pork,  the  fat  being  firm  and  of  good  color.  The 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  147 

germs  of  wheat  contain  a  toxic  property  and,  other  things  being 
equal,  it  militates  against  the  use  of  wheat  from  a  physiological 
standpoint,  but  only  to  a  minor  degree,  because  there  is  so  little 
germ  present  in  proportion  to  the  total  amount  of  wheat.  Thorough 
preparation  should  be  given  wheat.  It  should  be  ground  and  prob- 
ably wet  or  better  still  soaked  before  feeding.  In  some  grinding 
experiments  as  much  as  50  to  100  pounds  of  wheat  has  been  saved 
on  each  100  pounds  of  gain  by  the  grinding  and  wetting  (or  soak- 
ing) process.  Wheat  is  suitable  for  fattening,  and  will  put  on  a 
high  finish.  It  is  better  than  barley,  although  not  so  good  as  corn. 
Wheat  is  adapted  to  all  classes  of  swine.  So  far  as  supplements 
are  concerned,  wheat  has  about  the  same  deficiencies  as  corn  or 
barley,  hence  the  same  supplement  may  be  used.  If  a  little  wheat 
or  barley  or  preferably  both  be  mixed  with  corn,  less  meatmeal 
tankage  is  required  to  balance  the  ration,  although  this  difference 
is  not  large.  In  other  words,  less  tankage  is  required  with  a  mixture 
of  corn,  barley  and  wheat  than  with  any  one  of  them  alone  in  order 
to  secure  the  best  results. 

In  a  senatorial  inquiry  (March,  1918,)  carried  on  by  the  Com- 
mittee on  Agriculture  and  Forestry,  of  which  Senator  Gore  of 
Oklahoma  is  chairman,  the  statement  was  made,  that  12  pounds  of 
wheat  is  equal  to  20  pounds  of  corn  grain.  This  is  misleading, 
and  not  in  accord  with  the  facts.  Of  course  12  pounds  of  good 
kiln-dried  wheat  is  equal  in  feeding1  value  to  20  pounds  of  real 
soft  corn  that  runs  over  45  percent  moisture,  but  average  wheat 
if  compared  to  good  No.  2  corn  has  no  such  high  relative  value  as 
the  testimony  indicates.  Good  average  wheat  is  about  equal  in 
feding  value  to  good  dry  corn,  pound  for  pound,  but  when  it  is 
taken  into  consideration  that  the  wheat  must  be  prepared  a  part  of 
this  relatively  high  comparative  value  of  wheat  is  sacrificed. 

Eye. — Rye  is  a  particularly  good  economic  feed  where  the  land 
is  poor,  and  it  can  be  used  to  good  general  advantage  in  pork  pro- 
duction. It  is  ordinarily  considered  alongside  of  corn,  wheat  and 
barley  as  a  basal  feed,  but  it  is  the  poorest  all-around  feed  of  the 
four.  It  is  considered  that  rye  must  be  ground  and  soaked  in  order 
to  be  used  to  advantage,  because  of  its  hard,  flinty  kernels.  If  rye 
is  fed  whole  many  of  the  kernels  pass  undigested,  as  in  the  case 
of  wheat  or  barley,  hence  the  reduction  and  softening  process  is  in 
order.  Rye  is  generally  used  as  a  partial  ration  to  better  advan- 
tage than  as  the  entire  basal  ration.  In  this  case  it  may  be  used  as 
a  partial  basal  concentrate.  Rye  sometimes  contains  ergot,  which 
is  detrimental  to  swine,  causing  them  to  abort.  Because  of  this 
rye  has  received  much  really  undeserved  criticism,  which  criticism 
should  be  charged  up  to  the  ergot,  but  unfortunately  rye  harbors 
the  ergot  growth,  and  hence  must  take  the  consequences  of  the 
ergot's  unfavorable  influence.  Good  clean  rye,  however,  is  fed  to 
advantage.  It  is  generally  presumed  that  large  quantities  of  rye 
are  troublesome,  tending  to  cause  digestive  disorders,  but  the  evi- 
dences of  this  are  conflicting.  The  same  supplements  may  be  used 


148 


HOW  TO  PEED  YOUR  HOGS 


with  rye  as  with  corn,  wheat  or  barley.  Rye  is  worth  about  90  to 
100  percent  as  much  as  corn,  depending  on  relative  methods  of 
feeding.  The  100  percent  figure  is  high,  but  figured  as  a  partial 
feed  in  the  ration  it  does  have  a  replacement  value,  pound  for 
pound,  with  corn.  Eye  products  have  not  received  the  endorse- 
ment in  swine  feeding  that  wheat  products  have ;  rye  middlings,  for 
instance,  being  much  less  popular  than  wheat  middlings,  and  appar- 
ently this  is  the  right  distinction  to  draw  between  the  two. 


Sorghums. — These  grains  are  especially  good  for  swine  pro- 
duction, although  not  the  equals  of  corn,  barley,  or  wheat.  In  the 
drier  sections,  as  in  western  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  some  portions 
of  California  and  other  locations  not  favored  with  abundant  rain- 
fall, these  dry-land  crops  are  of  special  economic  value,  in  that  they 
furnish  more  feed  per  acre  than  corn  or  other  grains,  which,  in 
turn,  means  that  a  larger  pork  production  per  acre  can  be  carried 
on  in  those  sections  with  these  grains  than  without  them.  Hogmen 
living  in  these  localities  can  tie  to  these  crops,  knowing  full  well 
that  they  have  a  value  approximating  that  of  corn.  In  truth,  these 
dry-land  sorghum  grains  are  similar  to  corn  and  are  used  in  prac- 
tically the  same  way.  Alfalfa  is  especially  a  great  balancer  for 
them  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska.  Milk  and  tankage  and  similar  feeds 
that  balance  corn  grain  are  used  to  great  advantage  in  these  sec- 
tions. The  dry-land  feeds  are  not  so  palatable  as  corn,  but  on  the 
other  hand  they  produce  a  good  quality  of  pork.  Preparation  is 
necessary.  They  should  be  ground  and  probably  wret  or,  better  still, 
soaked,  in  addition,  in  order  to  make  them  more  palatable,  and  in 
order  to  make  every  pound  of  feed  more  efficient.  The  returns  from 
grinding  are  sufficient  to  justify  the  statement  that  it  should  prac- 
tically always  be  done,  excepting  in  rare  situations. 

Prof.  W.  A.  Cochel.and  his  co-workers  at  the  Kansas  station 
have  done  considerable  work  on  the  dry-land  and  sorghum  grains, 
and  recently  there  has  been  reported  by  Cunningham  and  Kenny 
some  of  the  work  that  Cochel  and  his  co-workers  have  done.  A 
Kansas  station  test,  which  comprised  five  lots  of  ten  pigs  each,  the 
pigs  being  fed  basal  feeds  as  mentioned,  shows  up  favorably  for 
corn,  of  course.  In  all  cases  the  grains  fed  were  supplemented  with 
2.3  pounds  of  wheat  middlings  and  .4  of  a  pound  of  meatmeal  tank- 
age per  pig  daily.  The  basal  feed,  daily  feed  per  pig,  average  daily 
gain  per  pig  and  feed  required  for  a  100  pounds  of  gain  are  given 
in  the  subjoined  table : 


Basal  Feed 

Daily  Feed 
per  Pig 

Average 
Daily  Gain 
per  Pig 

Feed  Required 
for  100  Pounds 
Gain 

Lot  1  —  Ground  kafir  
Lot  2  —  Ground  milo  
Lot  3  —  Ground  feterita  

4.9 
4.9 
4.9 

.40 
.43 
1.36 

534 
523 
549 

Lot  4  —  Ground  kaoliang  
Lot  5  —  Ground  coin 

4.9 
4  9 

1.31 
46 

572 
514 

PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  149 

Note  particularly  that  while  corn  is  superior,  in  that  it  produces 
greater  daily  gains  and  requires  the  least  feed  for  100  pounds  of 
gain,  both  ground  kafir  corn  and  ground  milo  maize  and  even  f eter- 
ita  rank  up  closely.  Some  other  tests  in  Kansas  indicate  that 
ground  kafir  corn  and  milo  show  up  favorably  in  comparison  with 
corn,  but  that  sweet  sorghum  feed  is,  to  quote  the  authors,  "decid- 
edly inferior  to  the  other  grains. "  "The  other  grains,"  of  course, 
refers  to  ground  corn,  kafir  corn  and  milo  maize.  In  concluding 
the  dry-land  grain  topic,  it  is  well  to  bear  in.  mind  that  the  dry- 
land sorghums  are  a  god-send  to  the  dry-land  farming  country  in 
our  central  western  states,  and  that  they  are  particularly  valuable 
as  an  adjunct  feed  in  the  alfalfa  sections  situated  within  or  close  to 
the  dry-land  sorghum  country. 

Hominy  Feed. — Hominy  is  a  by-product  of  corn  grain  manu- 
facture. It  is  a  residue  remaining  after  the  cornmeal  or  hominy 
grits  have  been  removed  from  the  corn  kernel.  The  mere  fact  that 
hominy  feed  must  be  manufactured  means  getting  a  product  that 
runs  relatively  low  in  water,  around  10  to  13  and  once  in  a  while 
to  14  percent.  Being  a  by-product  of  corn  manufactured  entirely 
by  a  mechanical  process,  there  being  no  solution  made  or  chemical 
changes  inaugurated,  it  is  an  excellent  substitute  for  corn  grain. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  hominy  feed — one  from  which  the  fat  has 
been  partially  extracted,  and  the  other  in  which  it  is  left  with  the 
germs.  Hominy  feed  itself  really  comprises  the  bran,  the  germ  and 
the  floury  white  starchy  portions,  the  hard  flinty  parts  of  the  ker- 
nel being  used  for  hominy  grits  or  cornmeal.  If  the  germs  are  fat 
extracted,  this  means  that  when  the  germs  are  replaced  there  is 
much  less  fat  added  to  the  hominy  feed  as  it  comes  to  the  farm  than 
where  the  fat  is  not  extracted,  there  being  a  difference  of  some  5 
percent.  In  the  circumstances  then  we  should  naturally  believe 
that  the  fat-extracted  hominy  feed  is  not  so  valuable  as  that  in 
which  the  fat  remains,  and  we  should  make  a  difference  of  about  6 
percent  in  relative  values,  basing  our  statement  on  the  facts  that 
a  pound  of  corn  fat  is  worth  about  two  and  one-fourth  times  as 
much  as  a  pound  of  ordinary  corn  starches.  But  it  is  good  general 
American  policy  to  extract  the  fat,  inasmuch  as  it  can  be  used  for 
human  consumption,  and  the  extraction  of  the  oil  from  the  germs 
of  corn  should  be  encouraged.  While  it  is  true  that  the  feed  will 
probably  not  be  so  good  for  swine,  yet  we  swinemen  who  believe  in 
the  swine  business  must  have  the  patriotic  viewpoint,  and  put  Amer- 
ica and  its  inhabitants  first. 

A  Substitute  for  Corn. — Hominy  is  a  good  substitute  for  corn, 
and  requires  practically  the  same  supplements,  but  we  find  in  prac- 
tice that  it  takes  about  20  percent  less  tankage  to  balance  100 
pounds  of  hominy  feed  than  it  does  to  balance  the  same  amount  of 
corn.  This  is  presumably  due  to  the  large  concentration  of  the 
germs  in  the  hominy  feed,  the  germs  furnishing  some  of  the  spe- 
cific nutritional  supplements  that  are  present  in  tankage.  Twenty 
pounds  of  hominy  feed  contains  practically-  the  same  amount  of 


150 


HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 


corn  germs  or  embryos  as  56  pounds  of  the  original  shelled  corn. 
The  man  who  has  been  accustomed  to  corn  feeding  can  feed  hominy 
feed  to  advantage,  because  he  can  go  ahead  and  use  it  exactly  as 
he  does  corn,  with  the  exception  that  less  supplement  is  required. 
We  must  not  expect  quite  so  rapid  a  gain,  presumably,  because  of 
the  higher  fibre  content.  As  this  book  goes  to  press  there  appears 
a  Purdue  Bulletin  showing  that  recent  Corn  and  Hominy  feed 
tests  give  results  showing  corn  superior. 

Experimental  Results. — Skinner  and  King  of  the  Indiana  sta- 
tion and  Eastwood  of  Ohio  have  found  that  their  kind  of  hominy 
feeds  apparently  are  worth  more  than  corn,  pound  for  pound,  but 
in  our  Ames  tests  we  have  found  continuously  that  good,  dry  corn 
is  more  valuable,  pound  for  pound,  than  hominy  feed.  Inasmuch 
as  the  moisture  contents  are  not  given  for  the  corn  in  the  Ohio  and 
Indiana  tests  by  monthly  periods,  it  is  hard  to  say  just  what  quality 
of  corn  the  hominy  feed  was  compared  with.  Our  comparisons  are 
all  made  on  the  basis  of  14  percent  moisture  corn  grain.  Ames 
results  secured  by  the  author  in  conjunction  with  Dunn,  pigs  being 
run  from  weaning  time  to  the  time  when  they  weighed  245  pounds, 
may  be  of  interest.  Two  lots  were  fed.  Lot  1  was  given  shelled 
corn  and  60  percent  meatmeal  tankage  and  salt  in  separate  feeders ; 
whereas  Lot  2  was  fed  exactly  the  same  except  that  instead  of 
shelled  corn  being  allowed  in  one  feeder,  hominy  feed  replaced  it. 
The  following  table  shows  the  results  of  carrying  the  pigs  from  49 
to  225  pounds  weight,  approximately : 


I  ot  No. 

I 

II 

Days  

143  00 

154  00 

Average  initial  weight  

48.78 

48  72 

Average  final  weight  .... 

224  82 

224  27 

Average  daily  gain  

1  23 

1   14 

Average  daily  feed  eaten: 
Shelled  corn 

4  34 

Hominy  

4  53 

Tankage 

57 

39 

Total  

4  91 

4  92 

Feed  required  for  100  pounds  gain: 
Shelled  corn 

352  81 

Hominy  .                                     .    . 

397  27 

Tankage 

46  00 

34  50 

Salt  

003 

000 

Total 

398  81 

431  77 

Pasture  acres  

.0178 

.0190 

The  results  on  this  bluegrass  pasture  show  clearly  that  more 
rapid  gains  are  made  on  shelled  corn  than  on  hominy  feed,  being 
more  than  8  percent  more  rapid.  The  total  of  feed  eaten  daily  is 
about  the  same,  but  the  feed  required  for  100  pounds  of  gain  shows 
considerable  difference,  or  approximately  11  percent  more  feed  is 
required  with  hominy  feed  than  with  corn.  With  hominy  feed  it 
took  eleven  days  longer  to  reach  the  same  weight,  the  pigs  gained 
more  than  8  percent  less  rapidly  and  required  more  than  11  per- 
cent more  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain  than  corn,  but  let  us  remem- 
ber that  the  hominy  feed  saved  tankage — some  25  percent  on  each 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  151 

100  pounds  of  gain  made.  Figuring  the  meatmeal  tankage  as  equiv- 
alent in  economic  value  to  2  pounds  of  corn,  and  making  an  equa- 
tion of  it,  100  pounds  of  corn  equals  105.71  pounds  of  hominy  feed. 
Note  particularly  that  at  the  end  of  the  feeding  period  the  hominy 
feed  began  to  lose  out  in  gains,  showing  that  a  little  more  fibre 
content  apparently  tended  to  retard  the  gains,  hominy  feed  having 
the  same  objections  in  this  respect  as  barley,  only  to  a  lesser  degree. 

A  Test  at  Ames,  Iowa. — On  rape  pasture  we  fed  pigs  shelled 
corn  self -fed  plus  meatmeal  tankage  self -fed,  plus  salt  self-fed  dur- 
ing the  entire  time  from  weaning  time. — about  45  pounds — to  225 
pounds  in  weight.  Lot  2  received  the  same  treatment  except  hominy 
feed  was  given  in  place  of  corn  to  the  end  of  the  forage  season, 
and  then  the  last  week  or  two,  just  before  the  pigs  reached  225 
pounds,  they  were  changed  over  to  corn.  On  the  corn  and  rape  the 
pigs  took  132  days  to  get  the  desired  weight,  but  on  the  hominy 
feed  149  days.  Here,  again,  we  have  a  saving  in  time  on  corn.  For 
100  pounds  of  gain  Lot  1  required  of  shelled  corn  344.4  and  meat- 
meal  tankage  37.2,  a  total  of  381.6  pounds;  whereas  the  hominy 
feed-fed  Lot  2  required  340.8  of  hominy  feed,  72.1  of  shelled  corn 
and  32.9  of  meatmeal  tankage,  a  total  of  445.8  pounds  of  feed. 
Where  hominy  feed  was  fed  it  was  not  the  equal  of  corn.  It  took 
practically  12  percent  more  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain  with  hom- 
iny feed  than  with  corn,  although  less  tankage  was  required  than 
usual — in  this  case  practically  12  percent  less.  By  making  an  equa- 
tion of  these  figures  it  is  found  that  100  pounds  of  hominy  feed  is 
equal  to  82.7  pounds  of  corn,  this  on  the  basis  that  1  pound  of  tank- 
age is  considered  equivalent  to  2  pounds  of  corn;  or,  figuring  it 
differently,  it  took  practically  121  pounds  of  hominy  feed  to  equal 
100  pounds  of  corn.  Generally  speaking,  considering  the  experi- 
ments in  Indiana,  Ohio  and  Iowa,  one  can  feel  that  if  he  buys  hom- 
iny feed  at  a  price  less  than  that  for  corn,  pound  for  pound,  he  is 
not  faring  badly;  but  if  he  can  buy  hominy  feed  for  10  percent 
less  than  corn  he  is  doing  well,  and  if  he  can  buy  it  at  15  percent 
less  than  corn  it  is  a  good  buy.  We  must  not  forget  that  hominy 
feed  has  some  advantages,  such  as  its  being  dry,  and  can  be  easily 
stored.  It  also  does  not  need  to  be  ground.  We  are  inclined  to 
think,  however,  that  if  hominy  feed  is  wet  or  soaked  it  will  give 
somewhat  better  results  than  when  fed  dry  but  we  do  not  have  any 
experimental  evidence  to  back  up  this  statement  of  belief. 

Emmer  or  Speltz. — This  crop  is  not  much  used.  It  is  grown 
some  in  the  Dakotas  and  in  the  northern  sections  of  -the  cornbelt. 
Emmer  is  not  so  valuable  as  corn  or  barley.  The  varieties  of  emmer 
that  have  the  least  hull  are  the  most  desirable.  Emmer,  in  order  to 
give  the  best  results,  should  be  ground,  and  preferably  wet,  and 
better  still  soaked.  Presumably  the  same  supplements  may  be  used 
for  emmer  or  barley  as  with  the  ordinary  basal  grains. 

Potatoes. — Cull  potatoes  may  sometimes  be  used  to  advan- 
tage in  swine  production.  Potatoes  may  be  used  as  a  substitute  for 


152  HOW  TO  PEED  YOUR  HOGS 

corn,  but  they  need  supplements.  Meat  and  potatoes  for  humans 
is  comparable  to  meatmeal  and  potatoes  for  pigs.  Both  are  good 
combinations.  The  same  supplements  may  be  used  as  with  corn. 
Milk*  works  well  with  potatoes.  Potatoes  are  a  healthful  feed,  and 
make  a  good  quality  of  pork.  Potatoes  should  be  thoroughly  cooked. 
Raw  potatoes  are  not  relished,  and  are  not  digested  as  they  should 
be.  Thorough  cooking  is  necessary  to  break  down  the  starch  gran- 
ules and  the  cell  covering  so  as  to  make  the  starch  more  easily 
accessible  and  thoroughly  digestible.  Cooked  potatoes  may  be 
considered  a  succulent  feed  for  pigs,  and  used  as  such.  The 
cooking  process  increases  their  palatability.  It  takes  from  375 
to  450  pounds  of  potatoes  when  cooked  to  equal  100  pounds  of 
grain,  like  corn.  To  give  the  best  results  potatoes  should  be  fed 
with  other  feeds  of  a  more  highly  concentrated  character,  particu- 
larly those  that  contain  less  water,  for  best  results,  and  cooked 
potatoes,  being  a  bulky  feed  from  the  standpoint  of  the  water  con- 
tained, "should  be  fed  liberally,  probably  three  times  a  day  or  else 
kept  before  the  pigs  almost  continually,  so  that  they  can  get  enough 
to  satisfy.  Potatoes  are  the  most  valuable,  pound  for  pound,  of  any 
of  the  roots  from  the  standpoint  of  their  ability  to  save  grain.  They 
replace  corn  and  similar  grains  in  the  pig's  ration  just  as  they  re- 
place bread  in  the  human  diet. 

Peanuts. — Whole  peanuts  are  especially  fine  for  pigs.  In  the 
southern  states  they  are  used  extensively.  Peanuts  are  rich  in  fat 
up  to  45  and  even  50  percent,  and  hence,  though  highly  palatable 
and  much  relished  by  pigs,  produce  a  soft,  oily  pork,  which  is 
docked 'from  50  cents  to  $2  per  cwt.,  on  the  live  market.  The  market- 
able pigs  that  come  from  peanut  sections  are  discriminated  against 
by  packers,  and  such  discrimination  of  course  has  a  basis  in  fact. 
Soft,  oily  pork  in  the  packing  houses  is  objectionable.  The  unfor- 
tunate part  about  the  whole  situation  is  that  even  when  pigs  are  fed 
corn  and  milk  in  the  peanut  districts,  when  they  go  to  market  they 
are  discriminated  against,  because  buyers  have  no  way  of  telling 
whether  the  pigs  as  judged  on  foot  have  been  fed  peanuts  or  not, 
and,  as  a  result,  just  because  the  pigs  come  from  peanut  sections 
they  are  discredited  along  with  their  peanut-fed  brothers  and  sis- 
ters. Peanut  meal,  which  remains  as  residue  after  the  oil  has  been 
extracted,  when  fed  in  the  cornbelt  alongside  of  corn,  produces  a 
satisfactory  pork  product.  The  Iowa  station  has  done  some  work 
on  this,  and  found  that  corn  and  peanut  meal  from  which  the  fat 
had  been  extracted,  when  fed  with  bluegrass,  made,  satisfactory 
pork,  not  quite  so  satisfactory  as  corn  and  meatmeal  tankage  but 
nevertheless  salable  and  satisfactory.  The  oil  is  too  valuable  for 
human  consumption  to  feed  to  pigs  as  such.  With  harvested  pea- 
nuts it  should  be  extracted,  but  where  hogs  do  the  harvesting  then 
economic  considerations,  as  regards  labor  saved,  enter  into  the  situ- 
ation, and  make  it  profitable  for  the  whole  peanuts  to  be  fed  to  hogs 
as  the  hogs  do  their  own  gathering  and  harvesting.  Hence  in  cer- 
tain sections  of  the  south  the  unharvested  whole  peanut  kernels  are 
fed  in  the  shell  to  pigs. 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE 


153 


SUPPLEMENTARY  FEEDS 

Skimmilk. — Of  all  the  supplementary  feeds  the  milks  rank 
supreme.  Whole  milk  is  better  than  others,  but  in  common  practice 
we  can  hardly  afford  to  feed  whole  milk  worth  $3  per  cwt.  with  but- 
terfat  in  it  worth  50  cents  a  pound.  Better  separate  the  butterfat 
and  sell  it  as  such,  and  purchase  feeds  that  will  take  the  place  of  it. 
Hence  the  reason  why  we  depend  on  skimmilk  and  buttermilk  when 
we  talk  about  milk  products.  Milk  is  primarily  produced  for 
young  growing  animals.  It  is  splendH  for  them.  It  carries  all 
of  the  essentials  of  nutrition  and  is  particularly  valuable  in  supple- 
menting corn.  We  have  done  considerable  experimental  work  with 
milk,  and  often  find  that  a  little  milk  works  wonders  in  the  ration. 
To  illustrate :  In  one  test  we  self -fed  for  100  days  two  bunches  of 
pigs  of  an  initial  weight  of  about  42  pounds.  One  bunch  received 
buttermilk  (which  is  the  equivalent  in  feeding  value  of  skimmilk) 
at  the  rate  of  1  quart  per  head  daily,  while  the  other  group  was  fed 
identically  except  that  no  buttermilk  was  allowed.  The  following 
table  shows  the  results  secured : 

BUTTERMILK  HAS  HIGH  VALUE  WHEN  FED   IN  LIMITED  QUANTITIES.     FIVE 
WEANLING  PIGS  IN  A  LOT  FED  100  DAYS  IN  DRY  LOT.** 


Ration 

Shelled  Corn.  S.  F. 
Wheat  Middlings, 
S.  F. 
Meatmeal  Tankage, 
S.  F. 

Shelled  Corn,  S.  F. 
Wheat    Middlings, 
S.  F. 
Meatmeal  Tankage, 
S.  F. 
Buttermilk,    not 
quite  a  quart  per 
pig   once    daily. 

Initial  weight  per  pig  . 

42 

42 

Final  weight  per  pig  

155 

160 

Average  dailv  gain 

1.13 

1.18 

Average  daily  feed  eaten:       • 
Shelled  corn  .          

3.40 

3.54 

Wheat  middlings 

61 

.44 

Tankage,  meatmeal  

Buttermilk 

.62 

None 

.43 
1.84 

Feed  required  for  100  pounds  gain: 
Shelled  corn                                        ...        .... 

299.9 

299.70 

53  5 

37  0 

Tankage,  meatmeal  

54.6 

36.0 

Buttermilk 

None 

155.80 

*With  the  collaboration  of  Dunn,  Scott  and  others. 

*Pigs  had  access  to  bone  ash,  charcoal  and  rock  salt,  but  ate  very  little;  hence  are  not  charged 
in  this  computation. 

The  addition  of  a  quart  of  buttermilk  per  head  daily  increased 
the  gains,  and  decreased  the  grains,  and  decreased  the  meatmeal 
tankage  and  dry  feed  consumption  because  it  supplied  the  elements 
which  are  added  to  the  ration  by  these  two  feeds.  The  buttermilk 
also  resulted  in  producing  100  pounds  of  grain  with  less  dry  mat- 
ter. Briefly  stated,  155.8  pounds  of  buttermilk  required  for  100 
pounds  of  grain  as  compared  to  the  buttermilk  group  saved  18.6 
pounds  of  meatmeal  tankage,  plus  16.5  pounds  of  wheat  middlings 
plus  .2  of  a  pound  of  corn  or  100  pounds  of  buttermilk  saved  11.9 
pounds  of  meatmeal  tankage  plus  10.6  pounds  of  wheat  middlings 
plus  .1  of  a  pound  of  corn.  Valuing  meatmeal  tankage  at  5  cents  a 
pound  or  $100  a  ton,  which  is  reasonable  under  present  conditions, 


154  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

the  wheat  middlings  at  3  cents  a  pound  and  the  corn  at  3  cents  a 
pound,  the  value  of  100  pounds  of  buttermilk  is  equivalent  to  91.7 
cents  when  fed  in  this  limited  quantity.  - 

Skimmilk  or  buttermilk  is  particularly  fine  for  suckling  sows 
and  more  especially  for  young  pigs  that  are  following.  Next  in 
order  it  is  good  for  the  pigs  at  weaning  time.  The  younger  the  pig 
and  the  more  rapidly  growing  the  more  valuable,  realtively,  are  the 
milk  products.  They  are  all-around  supplements,  and  may  be  used 
to  advantage  in  producing  animals  for  show  purposes  or  for  the 
feeding  of  pregnant  sows  or  breeding  boars.  The  milk  products  are 
excellent  in  convalescence  of  pigs  and  have  helped  in  saving  many 
a  pig. 

We  have  found  in  most  of  our  tests  that  100  pounds  of  skimmilk 
or  buttermilk  is  equal  in  value  to  6  pounds  of  corn  plus  6  pounds 
of  meatmeal  tankage,  when  fed  in  quantities  of  from  2  to  10  pounds 
per  head  daily.  This  was  determined  in  this  way:  One  group  of 
pigs  was  self -fed  corn  and  tankage,  free-choice  style ;  another  group 
was  fed  the  same  with  the  exception  that  from  2  to  10  pounds  of 
buttermilk  was  fed  daily  per  head.  Receiving  the  buttermilk,  they 
held  up  on  the  tankage  ration,  and  also  saved  some  on  corn  for  every 
100  pounds  of  gain ;  so  that  when  we  figured  the  value  of  the  butter- 
milk we  found  that  100  pounds  of  buttermilk  or  of  skimmilk,  which- 
ever it  might  be,  saved  6  pounds  of  corn,  in  addition  to  6  pounds 
of  tankage.  With  suckling  sows  and  their  pigs  following,  we  have 
found  that  it  has  a  higher  replacement  value  than  this,  running  up 
to  10  pounds  of  each ;  and  in  the  case  of  heavier  and  more  mature 
swine,  not  so  badly  in  need  of  milk  as  the  young  growing  pig  or 
the  suckling  sow,  the  value  has  been  somewhat  less  than  6,  running 
down  to  say  5  of  each.  On  the  basis  of  per  pound  of  dry  matter 
no  feed  is  so  valuable  as  is  milk,  particularly  whole  milk. 

Buttermilk. — Buttermilk  may  be  considered  as  the  practical 
equal  of  skimmilk,  analyzing  about  the  same.  Buttermilk  may  be 
fed  exactly  the  same  as  skimmilk.  We  believe,  however,  that  both 
should  come  from  tested  cows  (cows  that  do  not  have  tuberculosis) 
or  from  creameries  that  pasturize  milk,  or  else  it  should  be  thor- 
oughly heated  before  feeding  in  order  to  prevent  disease  being 
transmitted  to  the  swine  herd.  All  of  our  milk  products  should  be 
carefully  handled,  so  far  as  disease  is  concerned.  We  have  done 
some  work  wherein  we  fed  grain  with  buttermilk  versus  no  butter- 
milk, in  which  case  the  buttermilk  was  fed  in  very  large  quantities, 
practically  all  the  pigs  would  eat.  The  pigs  were  started  at  about 
56  pounds  in  weight.  Group  1  received  shelled  corn  self -fed  plus  60 
percent  protein  meatmeal  tankage  self-fed,  plus  wheat  middlings 
self-fed,  plus  rock  salt  self -fed,  all  feeds  being  allowed  free-choice 
style ;  Group  2  exactly  the  same,  excepting  that  buttermilk,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  other  feeds,  was  kept  continually  before  them.  The 
following  table  shows  approximately  the  number  of  days  and  the 
feed  required  to  reach  approximately  300  pounds  in  weight : 


PRINCIPAL    SWINE    FEEDS    AND    THEIR    USE 
BUTTERMILK  VERSUS  NO  BUTTERMILK 


155 


Record  Heading 

Group  I 

Group  II 

Final  weight  

296 

299 

Number  of  days  .                

218 

156 

Average  daily  feed  eaten: 
Shelled  corn  

4.871bs. 

2.27Ibo. 

Mtatmeal  tankage  

.37 
34 

.14 
22 

Buttermilk  .    .    .            .        

32.16 

Rock  salt 

00  + 

00  + 

Average  daily  gain  per  pig  

1.10 

1.54 

Feed  reouired  for  100  pounds  of  gain: 
Shelled  corn  
Meatmeal  tankage  
Wheat  middlings  
Buttermilk  
Rock  Salt  

441 
33 
31 

'".4 

148 
9 
14 
2091 
.1 

The  buttermilk  pigs  made  the  most  rapid  gains,  and  100  pounds 
of  it  saved  14.09  pounds  of  corn,  1.17  pounds  of  meatmeal  tankage, 
.81  pounds  of  wheat  middlings  and  .01  of  a  pound  of  salt,  a  total 
of  16.07  pounds  of  concentrates,  saved  by  approximately  9  to  10 
pounds  of  dry  matter  in  100  pounds  of  buttermilk.  This  re-empha- 
sizes the  high  value  of  milk  dry  matter.  Tie  to  the  milks,  remem- 
bering always  that  they  are  splendid  feeds,  and  that  in  case  of  doubt 
as  to  which  supplement  to  use,  if  you  can  possibly  secure  milk  then 
you  should  do  so  providing  of  course  that  it  can  be  obtained 
economically.  Physiologically  it  is  0.  K. 

There  are  some  milk  products  now  on  the  market  for  swine  feed- 
ing. One  is  semi-solid  buttermilk.  It  can  be  compared  to  ordinary 
skimmilk  on  the  basis  of  its  dry  matter  content.  If  it  runs  50 
pounds  of  dry  matter  to  the  100  then  it  is  about  five  times  as  valu- 
able as  ordinary  skimmilk  or  even  a  little  better  than  that,  because 
ordinary  skimmilk  runs  around  9%  pounds  of  dry  matter  to  the 
100,  the  same  with  buttermilk.  Buttermilk  powder  will  run  90  per- 
cent dry  matter,  hence  it  is  nine  or  ten  times  as  valuable  on  that 
basis.  We  must,  however,  remember  that  it  has  a  value  because  it 
is  dry,  and  it  can  be  stored  and  used  when  needed  which,  in  many 
situations,  makes  it  more  acceptable.  The  use  of  buttermilk  pow- 
ders or  semi-solid  buttermilk  for  "going  round  the  show  circuit"  is 
to  be  commended  as  a  natural  milk  substitute. 

We  should  beware,  however,  of  certain  milk  products  that  are 
foisted  on  the  public  by  the  wonderfully  extravagant  claims  made 
for  them.  There  is  one  milk  product,  for  instance,  advertised  to  be 
mechanically  reinforced  to  the  extent  that  if  one  gallon  of  it  is 
mixed  with  50  gallons  of  water  you  have  a  product  that  is  equal  in 
feeding  value*to  ordinary  skimmilk.  Wonder  of  wonders!  Here 
is  a  new  panacea  for  the  skimmilk  scarcity.  It  sounds  like  the 
promising  story  of  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  I  take  it  that  those  who 
believe  it  will  gain  as  much  sorrow  from  their  belief  as  did  Adam 
and  Eve  from  their  " forbidden  fruit."  On  the  face  of  this  claim, 
assuming  that  the  chemically  reinforced  and  highly-advertised  milk 
product  is  entirely  dry  matter,  which  is  impossible,  when  you  mix 


156  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

50  gallons  of  water  with  a  gallon  of  it  there  cannot  possibly  be  more 
than  2  or  3  pounds  dry  matter  in  every  100  pounds  of  the  mixture. 
On  this  basis  the  final  mixture  would  be  worth  about,  let  us  say, 
not  more  than  one-fourth  to  a  third  as  much  as  good  skimmilk. 

Meatmeal  Tankage. — A  splendid  feed  this  that  has  made  good 
in  practice.  It  has  been  recently  developed  in  our  great  pig  indus- 
try and  won  its  way  into  the  swine  pens  of  America  because  of  its 
high  merit.  There  are  many  grades  of  meatmeal  tankage,  but, 
roughly  speaking,  they  may  be  divided  into  60  percent  protein 
grade  and  the  40  percent  protein  grade.  Of  all  the  available  sup- 
plements to  corn  meatmeal  tankage  (sometimes  called  meatmeal, 
sometimes  called  tankage)  ranks  alongside  of  skimmilk,  buttermilk, 
dried  milk  powders  and  alfalfa  pasture,  which  are  physiologically 
efficient.  Swine  relish  tankage  very  much;  it  is  highly  palatable. 
Tankage,  in  some  packing  houses,  is  a  by-product  of  the  lard  and 
other  grease  tanks,  the  basal  tankage  in  these  vats  being  removed 
and  dried  and  mixed  with  evaporated  liquid  residues  from  all  parts 
of  the  plant,  which  residues  are  somewhat  similar  to  meat  extracts. 
Sometimes  blood  is  added,  so  that  in  the  end  you  have  a  high- 
quality  60  percent  protein  meatmeal  tankage,  running  as  much  as 
15  percent  mineral  elements,  a  large  proportion  of  which  is  bone 
phosphate.  The  high  heating  that  the  tankage  is  subjected  to  pre- 
cludes the  possibility  of  its  being  contaminated  with  disease-pro- 
ducing germs,  as  it  comes  from  the  vats ;  hence  there  is  little  danger 
of  tankage  carrying  cholera  or  other  diseases  when  made  by  high- 
class  concerns. 

Tankage  is  especially  valuable  because  it  contains  very  little 
carbohydrates,  for  carbohydrates  should  be  supplied  by  our  natural 
farm  grains.  This  is  an  indirect  reason  for  its  goodness.  True, 
it  is  splendid  because  it  runs  high  in  protein  of  good  quality,  and 
let  us  put  emphasis  on  the  quality.  Pound  for  pound  there  is  no 
other  supplement  that  balances  corn  to  better  advantage,  and  al- 
though bloodmeal  runs  high  in  protein,  yet  pound  for  pound  when 
fed  as  the  lone  supplement  to  corn  it  is  not  so  valuable  as  tank- 
age; dried  buttermilk  is  not  so  valuable,  nor  is  dried  skimmilk 
powder,  pound  for  pound,  because  it  does  not  run  high  enough 
in  protein.  We  are  speaking  now  on  the  dry  matter  basis. 
Everything  considered,  of  course,  dried  buttermilk  powder  plus 
corn  would  produce  gains  with  less  outlay  of  dry  matter  than 
would  corn  and  tankage,  but  the  point  is  that  a  pound  of  meatmeal 
tankage  containing  60  percent  protein  will  go  further,  in  that  it 
would  balance  a  greater  quantity  of  corn  than  will  a  pound  of 
buttermilk  powder. 

Tankage  is  splendid  because  it  promotes  a  healthy  laxative  condi- 
tion, particularly  when  fed  with  corn.  It  is  fine  because  it  contains 
vitamines,  particularly  fat  soluble,  necessary  for  growth  and  devel- 
opment, although  we  have  a  suspicion  that  it  does  not  contain  as 
much  of  this  vital  element  as  it  should.  Tankage  is  much 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  157 

relished  by  pigs  of  all  ages  and  classes.  We  feed  it  at  our  experiment 
station  with  good  results  to  pregnant  sows,  little  pigs,  suckling 
sows  and  fattening  hogs.  We  feed  it  from  the  time  of  impregnation 
to  the  time  of  marketing,  going  through  the  entire  gamut  of  swine 
production.  The  fact  that  meatmeal  tankage  has  gone  up  in  war 
times  to  $110  and  $115  a  ton  is  evidence  of  the  high  favor  in  which 
it  is  held  by  the  feeding  fraternity. 

Fishmeal. — This  is  a  product  which  is  coming  more  and  more 
into  use,  and  it  will  give  good  results  in  swine  husbandry.  Being 
a  fish  product  it  is  similar  of  course  in  nutrition  'to  meatmeal  tank- 
age, although  it  has  the  objection  of  having  a  peculiar  flavor. 
Swinemen  can  make  use  of  it,  feeding  it  about  the  same  as  meat- 
meal  tankage.  The  better  grades  of  fishmeal  should  meet  an  en- 
couraging market  in  the  grain-producing  sections. 

Linseed  Oilmeal. — This  is  a  standard  swine  feed,  and  used  as  a 
partial  ration  is  all  right.  It  produces  a  creamy  slop,  and  helps 
out  considerably  in  producing  good  coats  on  pigs.  It  even  affects 
the  new-born  pig  through  the  pregnant  sow,  as  some  of  our  exper- 
iments show.  Linseed  oilmeal  should  not  be  used  as  a  lone  sup- 
plement to  corn  in  a  drylot,  nor  to  barley,  nor  wheat,  nor  rye.  It 
works  very  well  on  pasture,  however,  as  alfalfa,  rape  or  clover, 
when  fed  in  conjunction  with  corn.  Mixed  with  meatmeal  tankage 
or  with  milk,  it  makes  a  splendid  all  around  supplement.  Linseed 
oilmeal  mixed  with  middlings  is  not  very  satisfactory,  and  in  some 
cases  we  have  had  abortions  from  such  a  mixture,  due  presumably 
to  nutritional  deficiencies.  Add  tankage  to  the  mixture  and  the 
evil  is  apparently  offset.  Oilmeal  has  for  years  been  accused  of  caus- 
ing abortion  in  swine.  There  is  no  question  in  my  mind  but  that  it 
does,  if  fed  injudiciously  as  a  lone  supplement  to  corn,  for  instance, 
or  possibly  to  any  other  grain.  Where  it  is  fed  in  conjunction  with 
alfalfa,  rape,  red  clover  pasture,  alfalfa  hay,  or  meatmeal  tankage 
or  milk,  we  believe  that  the  abortion  troubles  would  be  limited  to 
a  minimum,  and  thus  oilmeal  would  tend  to  come  into  its  own 
more  effectively.  Avoid  a  heavy,  sudden  feed  of  oilmeal,  partic- 
ularly with  pregnant  sows.  Oilmeal  added  to  corn  and  other  grain 
rations  is  instrumental  in  producing  a  good  quality  bf  quite  firm 
fat.  In  limited  quantities  it  is  relished  by  swine,  particularly  when 
mixed  with  other  feeds,  but  when  fed  alone  it  is  not  very  palatable. 
When  allowed  in  a  self-feeder  alongside  of  tankage,  for  instance, 
pigs  will  eat  about  a  pound  or  two  of  oilmeal  along  with  3,  4 
or  5  pounds  of  tankage.  Ordinarily  they  eat  from  one-third  to 
one-fifth  as  much  oilmeal  as  of  meatmeal  tankage,  both  being 
allowed  when  corn  is  used  as  the  basal  feed.  It  is  not  fair  in 
feeding  tests  to  compare  oilmeal  and  corn  to  tankage  and  corn. 
This  shows  oilmeal  up  to  a  serious  disadvantage,  because  the  oil- 
meal and  corn  ration  has  certain  deficiencies  which  milk,  tankage 
and  pasture  overcome.  It  is  much  fairer  to  show  what  oilmeal 
will  do  when  added  to  a  corn  and  tankage  ration  or  to  a  corn 
and  alfalfa  ration,  especially  when  the  corn  and  oilmeal  and 


158  ~  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

alfalfa  are  checked  against  corn  and  tankage  and  alfalfa.  At 
ordinary  prices,  oilmeal  is  a  very  good  "buy,"  providing  of  course 
that  it  is  used  wisely  in  combination  with  such  supplements  as 
milk,  tankage,  the  good  leguminous  pastures,  and  similar  feeds. 

Bloodmeal. — This  is  a  packing  house  dry  product,  being  the 
dry  blood  from  mixed  animal  sources,  mostly  ox.  It  runs  85  percent 
in  protein — higher  in  protein  than  any  of  our  supplements,  but 
it  is  too  low  in  mineral  matter.  The  addition  of  steamed  bonemeal 
to  a  bloodmeal  ration  when  fed  with  corn  or  similar  basal  feeds 
helps,  as  some  of  our  tests  show.  We  believe  that  bloodmeal  fed 
on  alfalfa  or  rape  pasture  in  conjunction  with  milk  will  give  very 
good  results,  and  we  would  encourage  its  partial  use  in  these 
respects,  particularly  when  the  prices  of  tankage  and  bloodmeal 
are  so  close  together,  as  for  instance  when  tankage  sells  at  $100 
a  ton  and  bloodmeal  at  $125.  As  a  lone  supplement  to  corn  or 
similar  feeds,  bloodmeal  does  not  work  nearly  as  well  as  meatmeal 
tankage,  but  fed  in  conjunction  with  meatmeal  tankage  it  works 
splendidly.  Packers  are  therefore  putting  out  tankages  containing 
considerable  blood  in  their  make-up.  Some  day  we  are  going  to 
know  how  to  use.  bloodmeal  to  a  better  advantage  than  we  do  now. 
The  addition  of  bloodmeal  to  tankage  in  the  packing  houses  is  to  be 
encouraged,  so  long  as  they  keep  the  mixture  on  an  efficient  basis, 
inasmuch  as  it  will  produce  a  larger  output  for  the  general  swine 
feeding  industry.  So  far  the  supply  of  meatmeal  tankage  has  been 
too  low  for  the  best  interests  of  all  concerned.  Bloodmeal  is  good 
for  scours. 

The  more  meat  and  milk  products  we  can  add  to  the  swine 
ration  within  reasonable  limits,  and  at  certain  prices,  the  better  off 
will  our  industry  be,  particularly  when  it  is  on  the  present  corn  and 
other  similar  grain  "balance  basis"  and  where  the  natural  grain 
feeds  of  the  farm  are  fed  in  large  quantities. 

Soy  Bean  Meal. — This  is  similar  to  oil  meal.  It  should  not  be 
used  as  a  lone  supplement  to  feed  to  hogs  which  are  quite  immature. 
Bean  proteins  do  not  balance  corn  proteins  satisfactorily,  unless  they 
are  helped  out  apparently  with  such  feeds  as  a  little  milk  or  a  little 
alfalfa  pasture  or  a  little  tankage  or  some  similar  feed.  Rape  is  fine. 
More  and  more  soy  beans  are  going  to  be  grown  in  the  future 
because  they  are  a  profitable  crop,  particularly  where  they  grow 
well  and  yield  25  or  more  bushels  to  the  acre.  They  make  a  good 
concentrated  swine  feed  as  they  do  a  good  cattle  feed.  In  cattle 
feeding  they  have  been  found  to  be  equal  to  about  the  value  of  cot- 
ton seed  meal.  Our  advice  to  those  men  who  can  grow  soy  beans 
so  they  yield  upwards  of  25  bushels  to  the  acre  is  to  study  the  plant, 
and  figure  on  introducing  it  into  their  farm  systems.  But  we 
cannot  pass  to  the  next  feed  without  re-emphasizing  that  the  soy 
bean  has  many  serious  limitations  as  does  oilmeal,  but  that  fed 
in  its  right  place  it  is  a  valuable  adjunct  as  a  supplement  in  swine 
feeding. 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  159 

Peanut  Meal. — Generally  speaking,  peanut  meal  is  a  splendid 
feed  and  we  would  emphasize  that  for  swine  production  it  be  as  low 
in  fibre  as  possible ;  in  other  words,  that  peanut  meals  that  contain  a 
minimum  of  hull  be  used.  We  prefer  the  peanut  meal  that  runs 
upwards  of  38  percent  protein  and  less  than  15  percent  fibre;  in 
truth,  we  would  like  to  have  it  with  much  less  fibre  than  that  if  we 
could  get  it.  Good  peanut  meal  is  described  as  containing  not  less 
than  48  percent  protein,  nor  more  than  9  percent  crude  fibre.  It  is 
merely  a  question  of  the  difference  in  the  amount  of  hulls  and  vines 
present.  Peanut  shells  have  practically  no  feeding  value  because 
it  takes  as  much  energy  to  digest  and  absorb  them  as  is  present  in 
their  make-up.  A  test  with  a  peanutmeal  that  ran  a  little  less  than 
40  percent  protein  at  the  Iowa  station  recently  showed  that,  as» 
compared  to  corn  and  tankage,  peanut  meal  in  this  case  being  fed 
with  corn,  all  feeds  being  fed  free-choice  style,  the  daily  gains  were 
slightly  less  or  1.33  as  compared  to  1.41  pounds.  These  rations 
were  fed  on  bluegrass  pasture.  Figuring  the  peanutmeal  against 
the  corn  and  tankage  we  find  that  100  pounds  of  it  saved  48 
pounds  of  corn  and  45  pounds  of  tankage,  a  total  of  93  pounds  of 
feed.  If  the  corn  is  worth  3  cents  a  pound  or  $1.68  a  bushel  and 
the  tankage  5  cents  a  pound  in  this  test,  the  peanut  meal  had  a 
value  of  $3.69  per  100  pounds,  which  is  a  rather  high  value  and 
perhaps  more  thai!  it  is  worth.  It  does  show,  however,  that  it  can 
be  used  to  advantage  in  swine  husbandry.  We  have  before  indi- 
cated that  peanut  meal  which  has  the  oil  pressed  out  produces  a 
satisfactory  fat  pork,  and  this  is  of  great  moment.  However,  the 
raw  peanuts  with  their  high  percentage  (as  high  as  40  percent 
sometimes)  of  fat  or  oil  produce  a  very  oily  and  undesirable  fat 
pork  known  as  "oily  or  soft"  pork.  Peanut  meal  clearly  excels 
linseed  oilmeal  when  used  as  a  lone  supplement  to  corn  on  blue- 
grass  pasture,  but  then  in  this  case  if  a  little  tankage  had  been 
added  to  both  the  rations,  the  one  containing  linseed  oilmeal  and 
the  one  containing  peanut  meal  along  with  corn,  or  even  a  little 
milk,  we  think  much  better  actual  as  well  as  more  favorable  com- 
parative results  would  have  been  secured.  Generally  speaking,  we 
find  that  with  every  100  pounds  of  corn  pigs  eat  from  two  and  one- 
half  to  three  times  as  much  peanut  meal  in  proportion  as  they  do 
of  meatmeal  tankage.  A  happy  mixture  of  the  two  should  work 
well  in  practice. 

Oats. — Oats  are  too  fibrous  to  be  used  to  marked  advantage. 
There  is  a  big  difference  in  the  amount  of  hull  present  in  oats  of  the 
different  varities  and  grown  under  different  conditions.  Northern 
oats  are  best  because  they  are  more  plump,  and  weigh  heavier  to 
the  bushel.  One  should  always  prefer  the  heaviest  oats  for  swine 
production.  Hull-less  oatmeal  or  hull-less  oats  are  much  more 
valuable,  pound  for  pound,  than  whole  oats.  For  very  young, 
growing  pigs  some  prefer  to  take  the  hulls  from  the  oats,  and 
this  is  good  practice.  Oats  are  not  very  palatable  for  pigs 
when  fed  in  large  quantities.  Oats  must  be  ground  and  pref- 


160  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

erably  soaked  in  order  to  get  the  most  good  out  of  them,  and  then 
when  they  are  soaked  and  the  hulks  come  to  the  top  they  can  be 
skimmed  off  and  fed  to  dry  cows  or  horses.  Grinding  pays  big 
returns  if  oats  are  to  be  fed.  As  a  fattening  ration  oats  are  a  dis- 
appointment. They  are  not  so  valuable  as  corn,  being  for  fatten- 
ing from  60  to  80  percent  as  good;  hence  it  can  readily  be  seen 
that  oats  can  seldom  be  used  as  a  finishing  substitute  for  corn. 
Oats  are  much  better  for  horses  and  calves  than  for  pigs.  In  lim- 
ited quantity  they  can  be  fed  to  brood  sows  particularly.  They  can 
be  scattered  about  so  as  to  induce  exercise,  but  if  allowed  at  the 
rate  of  more  than  1  pound  daily  the  practice  of  feeding  ordinary 
oats  is  somewhat  wasteful,  particularly  when  corn  can  be  bought, 
.pound  for  pound,  at  the  same  price  or  even  at  a  10  percent  greater 
price.  With  our  broodsows  we  have  found  that  oats  only  added  to 
a  corn  ration  caused  the  litters  to  come  weak,  as  when  corn  alone 
is  fed,  and  the  sows  did  not  do  well.  When  fed  along  with  a  little 
tankage  and  the  major  portion  of  the  ration  made  up  of  corn  it 
was  a  splendid  feed.  It  must  be  fed  in  limited  quantities  and  pre- 
sumably ground,  although  in  practice  whole  oats  are  splendid 
when  scattered  about  in  the  feedlots  to  induce  exercise.  It  has  an 
indirect  advantage  in  this  respect.  Oats  and  tankage  fed  without 
any  other  feeds  excepting  salt  have  been  disappointing  to  us  for 
brood  sows.  This  ration  has  not  produced  good,  strong  litters. 

Hull-less  Oatmeal. — This  is  a  good  feed.  It  is  surprising  what 
a  difference  it  makes  to  take  the  hulls  off  oats  and  leave  a  by-pro- 
duct such  as  this.  We  compared  hull-less  oatmeal  and  tankage 
with  corn  and  tankage  and  found  that  about  110  pounds  of  oat- 
meal were  required  to  equal  100  pounds  of  corn  on  bluegrass  pas- 
ture. The  gains  were  a  little  slower,  but  the  pigs  did  well.  We 
think  it  best,  however,  fed  as  a  partial  feed  in  conjunction  with 
corn  and  tankage  or.  corn  and  milk.  On  rape  pasture  where  we 
made  the  same  comparisons  we  found  that  hull-less  oatmeal  had 
a  value  a  little  higher  than  corn,  pound  for  pound.  Thus  it  made 
a  splendid  showing,  and  rape  made  the  difference.  It  is  surpris- 
ing to  know  just  what  a  big  difference  the  addition  of  one  feed  to 
a  ration  will  make.  It  emphasizes  how  little  we  really  know  about 
the  actions  and  reactions  of  specific  feeds.  At  present  oatmeal 
cannot  be  bought  from  the  cereal  manufacturers  because  it  is  be- 
ing converted  into  human  food. 

Wheat  Middlings.— This  is  a  very  good  feed.  It  is  hardly 
worth  while  to  discuss  it  because  its  value  is  known  by  practically 
everyone.  Used  as  a  part  of  the  ration  it  is  splendid.  We  prefer 
the  floury  sorts  of  middlings  to  those  that  have  considerable  bran 
in  them.  In  truth,  the  more  bran  there  is  in  them  the  less  palatable 
they  are,  and  the  less  efficient,  pound  for  pound.  As  a  substitute 
for  corn  wheat  middlings  are  a  disappointment.  We  have  found 
in  some  of  our  tests  where  we  compared,  for  instance,  wheat  mid- 
dlings and  tankage  with  corn  and  tankage  on  bluegrass  pasture, 
that  it  took  159  pounds  of  standard  wheat  middlings  to  equal  100 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  161 

pounds  of  corn,  and  in  carrying  the  pigs  from  weaning  time  to 
225  pounds  in  weight  it  took  225  days  on  wheat  middlings ;  whereas 
on  corn  it  took  143  days  where  tankage  was  fed  in  addition.  The 
wheat  middlings  group  did  very  well  in  the  early  part  of  the  feed- 
ing period,  but  when  the  pigs  reached  a  weight  of  about  160  pounds 
they  began  to  do  poorly,  from  the  fattening  standpoint,  presum- 
ably because  of  the  fibrous  content  of  the  middlings.  They  simply 
could  not  keep  up  with  the  corn  and  tankage-fed  pigs.  Middlings 
are  palatable  to  all  classes  of  swine  and  are  particularly  good  for 
the  boar  and  brood  sow  when  fed  in  conjunction  with  meat  prod- 
ucts, milk  products,  or  good  pastures. 

Wheat  Bran. — This  is  a  bulky,  fibrous  feed,  more  adaptable 
to  the  dairy  cow  than  to  swine  in  general,  although  the  brood  sow 
can  use  some  to  advantage  sometimes.  Wheat  bran  is  good  in 
overcoming  constipation,  and,  generally  speaking,  is  a  better  medi- 
cine than  feed  for  swine.  There  are  so  many  feeds  that  are  better 
for  young,  growing  pigs  than  bran  that  we  would  discourage  the 
use  of  the  wheat  bran,  excepting  as  a  medicine. 

Cottonseed  Meal. — This  swine  feed  is  used  to  considerable 
advantage  in  the  south,  but  not  very  much  in  the  northern  sec- 
tions. If  it  comprises  much  of  the  ration  for  any  considerable 
time,  pigs  are  liable  to  be  lost  from  its  use.  So  far  it  has  not  been 
demonstrated  with  swine  that  the  poisonous  effects  of  cottonseed- 
meal  can  be  obviated  in  any  major  quantity  for  any  considerable 
period  of  time,  soaking,  cooking  and  other  remedies  having  been 
tried.  Iron  sulphate  mixed  with  cottonseedmeal  is  said  to  be  of 
value,  but  some  cast  a  question  on  its  efficacy.  Anyhow,  cotton- 
seedmeal has  not  made  much  of  an  inroad  into  the  corn-balancing 
competition  with  our  substantial  supplementary  feeds  for  swine 
production,  although  it  is  used  largely  in  the  feeding  of  cattle.  We 
recommend  to  those  who  would  use  cottonseed  meal  that  they  alter- 
nate it  in  the  ration,  feeding  it  for  say  two  weeks  and  then  discon- 
tinuing it  for  say  two  weeks,  alternating  with  meatmeal  tankage  or 
milk  or  linseed  oilmeal. 

Cull  Beans. — Beans  are  good  for  pork  production,  but  had  best 
be  cooked.  They  should  also  be  fed  as  a  partial  ration.  In  prac- 
tice considerable  baking  soda  mixed  with  beans  in  cooking  is  said 
to  be  of  much  advantage.  Ordinarily  culled  beans  can  be  bought 
in  the  northeastern  section  of  America  to  good  advantage,  but  in 
the  cornbelt  it  is  seldom  that  we  see  them. 

Gluten  Feed. — This  feed  has  been  disappointing  in  its  results 
with  swine.  It  is  a  much  better  cattle  and  sheep  feed.  Swine 
do  not  relish  it  when  fed  alone,  although  when  mixed  with  milk  they 
take  to  it.  As  a  lone  supplement  to  corn  it  is  inefficient  and  should 
not  be  used  in  drylot  in  that  manner.  It  is  quite  fibrous;  in  fact, 
almost  too  much  so  for  ideal  fattening  purposes.  Our  best  results 
have  been  secured  with  gluten  feed  when  it  has  been  mixed  with 
tankage,  half  and  half,  and  allowed  on  rape  pasture.  In  this  case 


162  HOW  TO   FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

it  was  worth  the  money  (1917)  when  fed  in  conjunction  with  corn 
We  tried  it  as  a  complete  substitute  for  corn  on  rape,  but  the 
results  were  unsatisfactory.  In  drylot  we  fed  gluten  feed  mixed 
with  tankage,  half  and  half,  in  conjunction  with  corn,  both  being 
allowed  free-choice  style.  On  corn  and  tankage  it  took  136  days 
to  take  fall  pigs  from  52  to  250  pounds,  requiring  360  pounds  of 
com  plus  35  pounds  of  tankage,  a  total  of  396  pounds  of  feed. 
Where  the  tankage  was  mixed  with  gluten  feed,  half  and  half,  it 
took  150  days  or  two  weeks  longer,  and  the  feed  requirement  was 
350  pounds  of  corn  plus  40  pounds  of  gluten  feed  plus  40  pounds 
of  meatmeal  tankage — a  total  of  430  pounds.  In  this  instance  the 
40  pounds  of  gluten  feed  saved  10  pounds  of  corn,  but  lost  4  pounds 
of  tankage,  in  addition  to  its  taking  more  time  in  feeding.  This  is 
interesting  testimony,  but  we  hope  to  show  some  day  just  how  glu- 
ten feed  can  be  used  to  better  advantage  than  we  have  been  able 
to  demonstrate  so  far.  With  cattle  and  sheep  we  have  found  that 
it  works  well  in  certain  situations.  Feeders  have  not  been  slow  to 
appreciate  that  corn  gluten  feed  is  all  right  when  put  in  its  right 
place. 

Corn  Oil  Cakemeal.— Corn  oil  cakemeal  is  a  much  different 
feed  from  corn  gluten  feed  because  it  comprises  the  germs  of  the 
corn  with  the  oil  pressed  out.  Gluten  feed,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
really  the  bran  plus  the  flinty  portions  of  the  kernel  plus  the  so- 
called  corn  solubles,  these  being  secured  from  the  big  tanks  in 
which  the  corn  is  previously  soaked  to  soften  it.  The  solution  taken 
from  the  tanks  is  really  a  sulphurous  acid  solution,  the  sulphur 
having  been  burned  and  the  resultant  fumes  therefrom  run  into  the 
water  solution  in  order  to  make  the  sulphurous  acid,  which  acid 
prevents  fermentation,  and  thus  allows  the  corn  to  soften  without 
spoiling.  It  is  then  ready  for  the  manufacturing  process,  degerm- 
inating  and  crushing.  This  preliminary  soaking  solution  is  evap- 
orated down,  and  then  added  to  the  bran  and  flinty  portions  of  the 
corn  kernel  to  make  the  gluten  feed.  Strictly  speaking,  corn  gluten 
feed  does  not  contain  any  of  the  germs,  although  some  concerns 
are  said  to  include  them.  This  germ  inclusion  should  be  helpful. 
Corn  oil  cake  meal  has  nutritious  properties  differing  from  gluten 
feed,  and  we  have  found  that  it  is  especially  valuable  in  saving 
meatmeal  tankage  when  added  to  a  corn  and  meatmeal  tankage 
ration.  A  number  of  our  Iowa  station  tests  show  clearly  that  100 
pounds  of  corn  oilcakemeal  added  to  a  corn  and  meatmeal  tankage 
ration  on  timothy  pasture  has  been  instrumental  in  saving  80 
pounds  of  corn  and  40  pounds  of  tankage,  a  total  of  120  pounds 
of  feed.  The  following  figures  gathered  by  the  author,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  Dunn,  covering  this  point  are  of  interest: 


Corn  Oil  Cake  as  a  Partial  Tankage  Substitute 

Six  50-Pound  Weanling  Pigs  to  Each  Group — 110  Days— June  15 

to  Oct.  3,  1917 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE 


163 


Feed  Required  for  a  Hundred  Pounds  Gain: 

Th<* 

Average 
Group 

Average 
Final  Weight 
Per  Pig 

Daily 
Gain 

Shelled 
Corn 

Meatmeal 
Tankage 

Corn     Oil 
Cake  Meal 

Total 

I 

170 

1.11 

347 

45 

None 

392 

II 

183 

1.22 

303 

19 

58 

380 

III 

201 

1.38 

325 

42 

6 

373 

One  can  use  corn  oilcakemeal  in  limited  quantities  mixed  with 
tankage.  We  have  found  it  also  works  well  with  milk,  when  we 
are  depending  on  supplements  to  corn.  Corn  oilcakemeal  alone, 
however,  is  disappointing.  It  and  tankage  do  not  work  well  to- 
gether, but  corn,  corn  oilcakemeal  and  tankage  make  a  splendid 
combination  when  properly  compounded. 

Alfalfa  Hay. — Alfalfa  hay  has  a  wide  field  of  usefulness  in 
the  ration  of  the  brood  sow.  This  is  true  in  the  western  as  well 
as  the  eastern  and  central  states.  It  can  be  placed  in  a  rack,  and 
ordinarily  brood  sows  will  eat  enough  of  it  to  balance  the  corn  or 
other  grain  ration  which  they  receive.  We  want  to  be  sure,  how- 
ever, that  the  sows  receiving  the  basal  grains  such  as  corn,  barley, 
wheat,  without  other  supplements,  eat  at  least  1  pound  of  alfalfa 
hay  per  head  daily;  if  they  do  not,  difficulties  at  farrowing  time 
may  be  experienced,  as  evidenced  by  small  and  weak  pigs.  We 
have  ground  alfalfa  and  mixed  it  with  the  corn  ration  and  secured 
excellent  results.  Some  figures  on  the  use  of  alfalfa  as  a  brood 
sow  ration  are  interesting.  They  follow: 


Use  Alfalfa  When  Feeding  the  Brood  Sow 

Results — Animal  Husbandry  Section  of  the  Iowa  Experiment 

Station 


Ration  Fed 

Average 
Daily 
Gain 

Average  Feed 
Eaten  Daily 

Size  of 
New- 
Born 
Pigs 
Weight 
Average 

Strength  of  Pigs 

Feed 
Cost  of 
New 
Born 
Pig 
Cents 

Corn 
(Shelled 
Basis) 

Supple- 
ment 

Strong 

Medium 

Weak 
or 
Dead 

Ear  corn  only  
Ear    corn    plus    13 
per  cent  tankage  . 
Ear    corn    plus    al- 
falfa in  a  rack.  .  .  . 

.35 
.63 
.63 

3.65 

2.75 
3.74 

None 
.43 
1.11 

1.74 
2.23 
2.29 

Per 
Cent 
68 

93 
89 

Per 
Cent 
16 

5 

8 

16 
2 
3 

41 
22 
26 

A  little  tankage  fed  along  with  the  basal  grain  feed  and  alfalfa 
helps  out  as  does  a  little  milk.  Alfalfa  hay  is  not  well  adapted  to 
fattening  hogs,  although  it  has  been  used  in  Nebraska  with  fairly 
good  results.  We  must  emphasize  the  point,  however,  that  swine 
must  not  be  made  to  eat  it  too  closely.  The  leaves  are  much  bet- 
ter than  the  stem  portions,  which  are  too  fibrous. 


164  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

Roots. — Roots  are  splendid  for  swine  production  where  they 
can  be  grown  to  advantage.  They  have  nutritional  values  entirely 
out  of  proportion  to  their  dry  matter  content  when  viewed  in  a 
practical  sense.  The  Danish  people  have  done  considerable  work 
with  roots.  They  find  that  1  pound  of  grain  was  replaced  by  4 
pounds  of  sugar  beets  or  5  pounds  of  fodder  beets  or  6%  to  7% 
pounds  of  mangel  beets.  It  will  be  seen  from  this  that  roots  really 
are  instrumental  in  saving  grain.  In  some  situations  like  in  the 
northern  sections  of  the  country,  where  roots  grow  to  good  advan- 
tage, as  in  Canada,  they  have  a  profitable  field  of  usefulness,  par- 
ticularly for  brood  sows  and  maintenance  stock. 

Miscellaneous  Feeds. — Oat  hulls  are  a  poor  swine  feed,  really 
practically  worthless.  Acorns  are  splendid  where  they  can  be 
found  in  abundance,  particularly  when  the  hogs  gather  them  them- 
selves. They  produce  a  soft,  oily  pork,  however,  and  need  to  be 
balanced  with  good  supplements,  as  corn.  In  acorn  feeding,  the 
pigs  should  be  hardened  with  good  hardening  feeds,  such  as  corn, 
barley  or  similar  feeds.  Peanut  hulls  are  not  adapted  for  swine 
feeding.  They  are  too  coarse,  rough  and  fibrous. 

Corn  silage,  is  too  bulky  and  fibrous  for  hogs.  Its  greatest  field 
of  usefulness  is  with  brood  sows.  When  corn  silage  is  offered  to 
hogs  they .  usually  prefer  to  eat  the  corn  first  and  then  maybe 
a  little  of  the  leaves.  If  they  are  kept  real  hungry,  they  will  of 
course  eat  considerably  more,  but  this  is  not  a  profitable  procedure. 

Garbage. — Garbage  is  a  splendid  swine  feed.  It  can  be  utilized 
with  swine  to  good  advantage.  It  takes  from  5  to  8  pounds  of 
garbage  to  equal  1  pound  of  mixed  grain.  To  feed  garbage  suc- 
cessfully it  should  be  fed  in  large  quantities,  and  kept  before  pigs 
practically  all  of  the  time.  Fattening  hogs  should  not  be  made 
to  clean  it  up  too  closely.  Better  let  the  brood  sows  and  the  stock 
hogs  clean  it  up  after  the  fattening  hogs  have  eaten  the  best.  Gar- 
bage-hogs should  be  immunized,  because  there  is  more  danger  from 
cholera  in  garbage  feeding  than  from  ordinary  grain  feeding.  Gar- 
bage hogs  shrink  on  going  to  market,  and  do  not  dress  out  so  high 
as  grain-fed  hogs,  but  ordinary  kitchen  garbage  produces  a  good 
quality  of  pork.  If  garbage,  however,  were  made  up  of  acorns  and 
peanuts  and  other  soft  pork-producing  feeds,  one  could  hardly 
say  that  it  would  be  good  in  its  effects  on  the  pork.  Inasmuch  as 
there  are  garbages  and  garbages  it  is  difficult  to  say  much  about 
the  quality  of  pork  it  will  produce  unless  one  knows  the  kind  of 
garbage. 

Condimental  Feeds. — Condimental  stock  feeds  usually  are  to 
be  discouraged  in  swine  production,  because  they  are  commonly 
bought  on  faith.  They  are  a  mixture  of  many  ingredients  and 
hence  have  the  disadvantages  of  mixtures.  They  consist  of  ingredi- 
ents that  oftentimes  have  not  been  demonstrated  to  be  necessary. 
They  may  be  "  guess "  mixtures.  They  are  sold  by  experienced 
salesmen,  usually,  and  that  means  that  the  buyer  must  * '  look  out. ' ' 


PRINCIPAL  SWINE  FEEDS  AND  THEIR  USE  165 

They  are  relatively  expensive,  and  generally  are  a  poor  gamble. 
This  does  not  mean,  however,  that  a  condiment  cannot  be  made  that 
will  be  useful,  particularly  when  it  is  made  up  of  those  feeds  that 
we  know  are  good  in  practice,  such  as  salt,  wood  ashes,  charcoal  and 
other  feeds,  but,  generally  speaking,  one  " jumps  in  the  dark" 
when  buying  these  feeds.  It  is  surprising  how  little  we  know  about 
feeds  and  feeding.  We  must  still  place  much  dependence  on  the 
appetite  of  the  pig  for  different  feeds,  and  learn  to  depend  on  those 
feeds  in  a  large  measure  that  have  given  success  in  our  practical 
experience,  but  ever  and  anon  keeping  our  periscope  polished  up 
and  in  use,  looking  for  a  better  way,  realizing  always,  however,  that 
there  is  danger  in  showing  too  much  interest  in  any  feeds  that  are 
made  to  sell  for  a  profit  rather  than  to  get  economic  and  physio- 
logical returns.  The  standard  feeds  are  the  ones'  to  bank  on  in 
major  swine  feeding  operations.  There  are  good  commercial  by- 
products that  are  made  into  fine  feeds,  however,  such  as  meatmeal 
tankage,  hominy  feed,  hull-less  oatmeal,  bloodmeal,  buttermilk  pow- 
der, bonemeal,  fishmeal  and  many  others,  and  these  should  receive 
our  patronage  where  conditions  warrant  their  use.  But  bank  on 
home-grown  feeds  as  a  rule.  For  the  major  portion  of  the  basal 
as  well  as  the  main  supply  of  the  supplementary  feeds  depend  on 
corn,  barley,  alfalfa,  clover,  rape  and  similar  feeds,  and  buy  the 
best  you  can  find  to  round  out  your  ration,  keeping  in  mind  not 
the  idea  of  the  "price  per  ton"  but  the  "return  for  dollars  in- 
vested." To  emphasize  this  bear  in  mind  that  meatmeal  tankage 
that  costs  $110  a  ton  in  war  as  well  as  in  normal  times  is  better 
than  peanut  hulls,  even  though  they  be  given  to  you,  if  you  use 
both  as  pig  feeds  to  balance  ordinary  grains. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  FREE-CHOICE  SYSTEM 

Let  us  fix  in  our  minds  at  the  outset  what  we  mean  by  the  free- 
choice  system  of  feeding.  This  system,  experimentally  demonstrated 
and  developed  by  the  Animal  Husbandry  Section  of  the  Iowa  Ex- 
periment Station,  is  one  wherein  the  animals  fed  are  allowed  to 
have  the  feeds  placed  before  them  in  separate  containers,  so  that 
they  may  choose  or  partake  of  whichever  they  will.  These  feeds 
may  be  continuously  kept  before  them  or  they  may  be  allowed  peri- 
odically. In  the  former  case  the  system  then  would  be  free-choice 
self -fed,  but  in  the  latter  free-choice  hand-fed.  In  the  former  case 
self-feeders  with  different  feeds  within  will  be  placed  before  the 
animals,  and  in  the  latter  open  troughs  would  naturally  be  used, 
each  containing  a  separate  feed,  these  to  be  placed  before  the  ani- 
mals, which  will  eat  what  they  will,  and  after  a  certain  limited  time, 
say  an  hour  or  two,  or  at  such  times  that  the  animals  are  satisfied, 
the  troughs  may  be  removed,  to  be  replaced  again  at  a  later  period. 
Self -feeding  may  be  practiced  with  a  mixture  of  feeds;  in  other 
words,  corn  90  parts  and  tankage  10  parts,  both  ground  and  mixed 
together,  may  be  fed  in  an  open  container.  On  the  other  hand, 
these  feeds  might  be  fed  free-choice  style,  both  in  separate  troughs. 
Let  us  not,  therefore,  confuse  self -feeding  with  free-choice  feeding : 
they  are  two  separate  and  distinct  plans. 

Does  Self-Feeding  Pay?— It  does,  particularly  when  one 
wishes  to  fatten  animals.  One  can  even  self-feed  brood  sows,  and 
this  is  consistently  done  on  pasture,  the  pasture  in  this  case  being 
self -fed,  or  sows  may  be  self-fed  on  alfalfa  hay  allowed  in  a  rack, 
or  ground  alfalfa  mixed  with  the  grain  ration,  and  so  on.  But  in 
these  cases  the  character  of  the  feeds  is  such  that  when  self -fed  they 
do  not  unduly  fatten.  When  we  wish  to  self-feed  fattening  animals 
we  instinctively  use  the  most  highly  concentrated  feeds,  such  as 
Indian  corn,  milk,  and  meatmeal  tankage,  white  flour  middlings, 
young  tender  alfalfa,  rape,  or  clover,  and  other  pastures,  and  so  on. 
In  all  of  our  tests  with  self-feeding  versus  hand-feeding,  when  we 
used  a  ration  the  basis  of  which  was  corn  those  with  young  growing 
and  fattening  pigs  as  well  as  for  fattening  shotes  and  fattening  sows 
have  practically  all  shown  up  in  favor  of  self -feeding,  in  that  there 
is  a  greater  average  daily  gain  made,  more  feed  eaten  daily,  and  less 
feed  required  for  100  pounds  of  gain  by  the  self -fed  group.  This 
of  course  means  greater  profit  on  the  pig,  if  any  profit  is  made,  and 
that  at  less  labor  cost. 

Returns  From  Experiments. — It  would  be  superfluous  to  set 
out  even  a  small  portion  of  our  experiments,  but  we  are  giving  a 
couple  which  illustrate  the  practicability  of  self-feeding.  In  one 
experiment  where  we  fattened  well-grown  yearling  hogs  weighing 

166 


THE   FREE-CHOICE    SYSTEM  167 

about  125  pounds,  self-feeding  them  for  a  period  of  76  days,  the 
groups  self -fed  and  hand- fed  respectively,  both  given  corn,  showed 
results  as  follows :  The  self-fed  pigs  -outgained  the  hand-fed  pigs, 
making  2.05  as  compared  to  1.87  pounds  daily — more  than  a  10 
percent  increase;  ate  more  feed  daily,  showing  that  under  this 
system  of  feeding  they  could  work  at  higher  speed,  or  9.21  pounds 
as  compared  to  8.79  pounds  daily  per  hog,  an  increase  of  close  to  5 
percent;  required  less  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain,  or  449  pounds 
as  compared  to  469,  a  saving  of  20  pounds  of  corn  on  every  100 
pounds  of  gain  produced  when  the  animals  were  self -fed  as  when 
compared  to  where  they  were  hand-fed  twice  daily. 

At  another  4ime  young  two  and  one-half-month-old  pigs  were 
taken  and  during  the  first  100  days  of  the  trial  the  self-fed  group, 
which  was  given  shelled  corn,  wheat  middlings,  and  tankage  in 
separate  feeders,  gained  1.13  pounds,  requiring  408  pounds  of  feed 
for  100  pounds  of  gain.  The  group  fed  three  times  a  day  gained 
practically  the  same  (they  were  fed  free-choice  style  also,  feed 
being  placed  before  them  three  times  a  day,  in  open  troughs) ;  but 
required  10  pounds  more  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain,  namely,  418. 
The  third  group  fed  twice  a  day  gained  more  than  10  percent  less 
rapidly  or  .59  of  a  pound  daily  and  required  430  pounds  of  feed 
for  100  pounds  of  gain.  Peculiarly  enough  the  gains  were  more 
expensive  in  the  hand-fed  groups  because  they  ate  a  larger  portion 
of  the  expensive  feeds,  namely,  of  wheat  middlings  and  tankage  in 
proportion  to  corn.  This  is  what  should  be  expected  on  physiolog- 
ical and  general  nutritional  grounds. 

Self-Feeders  on  Pasture. — On  pasture  we  have  fed  some 
groups,  self -feeding  them  as  compared  to  full-feeding  them  by  hand, 
with  gratifying  results  for  self-feeding.  One  summer  on  timothy- 
clover  pasture  two  groups  were  fed,  one  receiving  a  self-fed  free- 
choice  ration  of  corn  and  tankage,  and  the  other  a  full-fed  ration 
of  corn  hand-fed  plus  as  much  tankage  in  addition  two  times  daily 
as  was  eaten  by  the  self -fed  free-choice  group.  These  pigs  were 
started  out  when  they  weighed  53  pounds  and  were  fed  from  July 
6  to  Nov.  13  on  pasture,  and  if  at  the  close  of  the  pasture  season 
the  pigs  in  each  group  did  not  average  225  pounds  they  were  con- 
tinued until  they  did.  The  figures  therefore,  taking  the  pigs  from 
53  up  to  225  pounds,  show  that  where  they  were  self-fed  free-choice 
style  it  took  120  days  as  compared  to  148  days  where  they  were 
hand  full-fed.  Tankage  was  kept  the  same.  The  big  difference  then 
is  in  the  amount  of  corn  allowed  and  in  the  method  of  its  allowance. 
Of  course  where  they  are  self-fed  they  eat  much  more  than  where 
they  are  hand-fed,  because  they  have  it  continuously  before  them 
and  they  can  eat  night  or  day.  Here  is  a  saving  by  self -feeding  of 
some  28  days,  or  practically  a  month.  This  means  considerable  in 
the  fall  in  getting  pigs  off  to  market,  because  the  market  begins  to 
decline  in  September  and  usually  hits  the  bottom  along  in  January 
or  February,  and  every  day  that  a  man  keeps  his  pigs  after 
September  he  is  keeping  them  on  a  steadily  declining  market.  This 
statement  is  based  on  the  average  of  a  number  of  years. 


168  :    _  .  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

In  regard  to  the  feed  for  a  100  pounds  of  gain,  the  self -fed  group 
took  353.1  pounds  of  shelled  corn  as  contrasted  with  389.1  pounds 
where  they  were  hand  full-fed  twice  daily.  Here  is  a  difference  of 
36  pounds  of  grain  on  every  100  pounds  of  gain  saved  by  self-feed- 
ing. This  is  just  on  .the  corn,  yet  there  was  also  a  saving  of  tankage, 
self-feeding  requiring  26.9  pounds  as  compared  to  31.2  where  hand- 
fed,  a  difference  of  4.3  pounds  on  every  100  pounds  of  gain.  Actu- 
ally less  pasture  was  required  for  100  pounds  of  gain  where  the 
animals  were  self-fed  than  where  they  were  hand-fed,  or  .012  as 
compared  to  .013  acre.  In  other  words,  it  took  a  twelfth  more  pas- 
ture for  every  100  pounds  of  gain  where  the  animals  were  hand- 
fed,  simply  because  during  the  nights  and  the  middle  of  the  day, 
when  there  was  nothing  else  to  eat,  they  would  eat  pasture,  and  also 
because,  under  this  system  of  feeding  (that  is,  hand-feeding),  they 
actually  require  more  total  protein  supplement  daily  per  pig  to 
balance  the  ration  than  where  self-fed,  hence  eat  more  pasture ;  but 
this  has  a  nutritional  basis  which  is  too  complicated  to  enter  into 
here. 

Beginnings  of  the  Free-Choice  System. — In  the  Proceedings  of 
the  American  Society  of  Animal  Production  in  1916  and  17  there 
appeared  two  papers,  one  entitled  "The  Pig  Versus  the  Feeding 
Standards,"  and  the  other  "The  Pig  Versus  the  Feeding  Stand- 
ards: Further  Progress,"  both  being  contributed  by  the  writer 
from  the  Animal  Husbandry  Section  of  the  Iowa  Experimental  Sta- 
tion. In  those  papers  is  given  the  results  of  taking  j)igs  on  the 
feeding  standards  versus  the  free-choice  system  up  to  the  age  of  8 
months,  taking  the  pigs  when  they  were  2%  months  of  age.  The 
method  of  feeding  was  as  follows :  Lot  I,  free-choice  system  (self- 
fed).  Shelled  corn  self -fed  plus  wheat  middlings  self -fed  plus 
tankage  self-fed.  Lot  II,  same  as  Lot  I,  excepting  hand-fed  three 
times  daily.  Lot  III,  same  as  Lot  I,  excepting  hand-fed  two  times 
daily.  Lot  IV,  Dietrich  or  Illinois  system,  hand-fed  twice  daily  the 
same  feeds  as  used  in  Lots,  I,  II,  and  III,  these  being  all  mixed 
together  before  feeding;  water  allowed  at  free-will.  (The  Dietrich 
system  was  worked  out  by  Dietrich,  formerly  of  the  Illinois  Experi- 
ment Station,  after  10  years  of  laborious  investigation.)  Lot  V, 
same  as  Lot  IV,  excepting  that  water  was  limited  according  to 
standard.  Dietrich  would  weigh  the  water  also  and  apportion  it 
on  a  certain  specific  basis.  Lot  VI,  Kellner  system,  a  German  sys- 
tem of  recent  origin.  Hand-fed  twice  daily  the  same  feeds  as  in 
other  lots,  all  mixed,  however,  before  feeding.  Lot  VII,  Wolff- 
Lehmann  system,  also  a  German  standard  of  "old-time"  origin. 
The  same  feeds  fed  as  in  other  lots,  but  all  mixed  together,  accord- 
ing to  this  standard — so  much  of  protein,  carbohydrates,  fats,  and 
so  on,  in  feed  for  each  100  pounds  of  pig  daily  as  per  standard. 
It  differs  somewhat  from  the  Dietrich  and  Kellner  standard  in 
method  of  procedure,  and  so  on.  Lot  VIII,  free-choice  mixture  of 
the  feeds  used  above,  this  mixture  being  based  on  the  average  as 
consumed  by  similar  pigs  when  self-fed  free-choice  style,  which 
mixture  was  89  parts  shelled  corn  (ground  after  the  first  60  days 


THE  FREE-CHOICE   SYSTEM 


169 


to  keep  the  pigs  from  sorting  out  the  tankage  and  middlings  which 
they  preferred),  5  parts  wheat  middlings,  and  6  parts  of  tankage, 
all  thoroughly  mixed  together  and  self-fed. 

Inasmuch  as  225  pounds  is  a  handy  marketable  weight,  the  fig- 
ures represented  pigs  taken  to  that  weight,  but  remember,  before 
we  study  the  following  table,  to  note  that  after  we  had  continued 
^these  standards  six  months  the  pigs  were  all  put  upon  self-feeders 
and  allowed  the  feeds  free-choice  style  in  each  group.  When  this 
change  took  place  it  was  marvelous  to  note  how  the  groups  previ- 
ously fed  according  to  the  artificialized  standards  began  to  improve, 
making  more  rapid  gains  that  before,  and,  generally  speaking,  re- 
quiring less  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain.  The  table  gives  the  re- 
sults as  regards  the  pounds  of  feed  eaten  daily  per  animal  during 
the  period  from  the  beginning  of  the  test  until  they  weighed  225 
pounds ;  also  the  number  of  days  required  until  they  reached  that 
weight,  this  being  based  on  the  actual  age  of  the  pigs : 


AVERAGEIPOUNDS  TOTAL  DAILY  FEED  EATEN  PER  HOG  DURING 
PERIOD 


The 
Group 

Days  Re- 
quired (Age  in 
Days) 

Up  to  225  Pounds 

Up  to  300  Pounds 

Actual 

Per  100  Pounds 
Live  Weight 

Actual 

Per  100  Pounds 
Live  Weight 

I 
II 

III 
IV 
V 
VI 
VII 
VIII 

229 
234 
250 
256 
268 
271 
294 
276 

5.363 
5.434 
5.087 
4.919 
4.800 
4.436 
3.994 
4.358 

4.348 
4.353 
4.120 
4.072 
3.892 
3.649 
3.489 
3.719 

5.  "307 
5.480 
5.379 
5.319 
5.159 
4.929 
4.521 
4.645 

2.999 
3.155 
3.260 
3.365 
3.096 
3.202 
3.152 
3.017 

This  table  in  itself  is  better  appreciated  on  close  study.  Note 
that  the  least  number  of  days  are  required  in  the  three  free-choice 
groups  fed  (Lots  I,  II,  and  III),  whether  self -fed  or  hand-fed,  and 
that  the  feeding  standards  were  good,  depending  on  their  chrono- 
logical origin;  in  other  words,  the  newer  standards  are  the  best. 
We  can  more  thoroughly  appreciate  this  table  in  comparison  with 
one  other.  The  following  table  shows  the  feed  required  for  100 
pounds  of  gain  in  the  various  groups,  taking  the  groups  up  to  225 
pounds  in  weight : 


FEED  REQUIRED  FOR  100  POUNDS  OF  GAIN  UP  TO  225  POUNDS 


The 
Group 

Shelled 
Corn 
(14% 
Moisture) 

Wheat 
Middlings 

Meatmeal 
Tankage 

Bone 
Ash 

Char- 
coal 

Rock 
Salt 

Total 

I 
II 

III 
IV 
V 
VI 
VII 
VIII 

356.09 
350.77 
359.79 
391.31 
402.80 
352.58 
379.68 
417.46 

44.83 
52.83 
65.82 
44.50 
44.58 
55.29 
46.29 
22.70 

43.49 
48.31 
49.47 
43.51 
45.00 
56.94 
42.37 
29.66 

.07 
.03 
.12 
.07 
.03 
.12 
.05 
.03 

.12 
.11 
.09 
.06 
.23 
.19 
.35 
.37 

.14 
.09 
.09 
.12 
.11 
.05 
.04 
.06 

444.74 
452.14 
475.40 
479.56 
492  75 
465.16 
468.79 
470.28 

170  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

Note  here  again  that  the  least  feed  was  required  for  100  pounds 
of  gain  in  the  self -fed  free-choice  group.  It  is  well  here  to  repro- 
duce in  closing  the  free-choice  system  discussion  a  part  of  the  sum- 
mary and  some  suggestions  presented  before  the  American  Society 
of  Animal  Production  by  the  author  in  1916. 

Summary  and  Suggestions.. — 1.  The  free-choice  system  for 
growing  and  fattening  weanling  pigs  has  a  great  field  of  usefulness, 
because  it  enables  swinemen  to  secure  approximately  maximum 
growth  and  development  on  pigs. 

2.  The  appetite  of  the  pig  is  apparently  a  fairly  reliable  guide 
as  to  bodily  needs ;  at  least  it  appears  to  be  quite  trustworthy  with 
certain  combinations  of  feeds. 

3.  The  feeding  standards,  although  actually  quite  easily  un- 
derstood, are  nevertheless  considered  bothersome,  difficult  of  exe- 
cution and  complex  by  the  average  swine  feeding  layman.     The 
free-choice  system  of  swine  feeding  stands  out  in  remarkable  con- 
trast because  of  its  simplicity. 

4.  Broadly  speaking,  the  feeding  standards  are  relatively  valu- 
able in  the  order  of  their  chronological  origin.    In  their  application 
to  cornbelt  lard-type  swine  the  newest  standard — the  Illinois  or 
Dietrich    (water   preferably   allowed   at  free-will) — appears   best" 
adapted  in  taking  pigs  from  weaning  time  until  they  reach  8 
months  of  age.    The  Kellner  comes  next,  and  the  Wolff -Lehmann, 
the  oldest,  last. 

5.  The  great  question  as  regards  the  best  measure. of  value  or 
the  best  yardstick  to  use  in  determining  which  system  or  standard 
is  most  efficient  is  ever  with  us.     Shall  success  be  measured  by: 
(a)  Daily  gain  or  days  required  to  reach  a  certain  weight  or  finish; 
or  (b)  feed  consumption  ability;  or  (c)  feed  required  for  a  unit 
gain,  both  quantitatively  and  qualitatively  speaking;  or   (d)   the 
degree  of  health  and  immunization  against  disease;  or  (e)  the  net 
resulting  carcass  with  its  smoothness,  muscular  or  fatty  de.velop- 
ment,  hardness  or  softness,  and  other  variable  characteristics;  or 
(f)  longevity;  or  (g)  reproductive  ability?    Fashions  change;  the 
carcass  that  is  best  today  may  be  economically  wrong  tomorrow. 
The  ideals  we  picture  in  the  morning  often  become  altered  through 
the  progress  of  the  day,  so  that  when  the  shades  of  night  come  we 
have  a  different  idealistic  endpoint.     From  man's  standpoint,  the 
feed  consumed  per  unit  gain,  the  daily  gain,  the  final  product  and 
the  healthiness  of  the  pigs  are  major  considerations,  but  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  pig,  health,  longevity,  and  reproduction  should 
mean  most  to  the  porcine  race. 

6.  Disappointment  should  not  be  felt  if  sow  or  boar  pigs  in- 
tended for  breeding  fatten  and  mature  quickly  when  opportunity 
is  provided,  as  in  the  free-choice  self-feeding  system.     We  have 
selected  cornbelt  swine  for  many  generations,  emphasizing  early 
maturity.     If  our  stock  did  not  mature  readily  when  given  the 


THE   FREE-CHOICE   SYSTEM  171 

opportunity,  that  is,  when  provided  with  an  abundance  of  suitable 
concentrated  feeds,  we  relegated  them  to  the  discard,  selecting  only 
those  for  breeders  which  would  under  these  conditions  finish 
quickly  and  nicely.  To  prevent  undue  fattening,  therefore,  we 
must  provide  inhibitors  to  overcome  long  years  of  effective  selec- 
tion ;  inhibitors  such  as  limited  feed,  bulky  feed,  and  others. 

7.  Apparently  for  the  most  perfect  development  there  should 
be  many  feeding  standards  devised,  the  number  necessary  depend- 
ing on  the  goals  sought.    It  may  be  advisable  to  have  a  standard 
for  six-month  feeding  or  eight-month  feeding;  or,  on  the  basis  of 
weight,  one  suitable  for  carrying  pigs  to  225  pounds;  another  to 
300  pounds,  and  still  others  to  other  weights. 

8.  Pigs   held   back   or  retarded   in   their   growth    (provided 
retardation  is  not  too  severe)  may  catch  up  in  weight  later  if  nu- 
tritive conditions  are  abundantly  improved.    To  the  judge  of  live 
stock  the  conformation  of  the  retarded  pigs,  after  their  develop- 
ment, appears  somewhat  different,  being  more  refined  in  a  certain 
sense  than  that  of  pigs  fed  normally.     This  retardation  may  be 
brought  about  in  numerous  ways,  but  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
pigs,  even  though  self-fed,  may  be  retarded  greatly  when  the  feeds 
allowed  are  exceptionally  good  in  quality  but  wrongly  mixed. 

9.  The  character  of  the  feeds  used,  as  well  as  their  kind,  affect 
the  feeding  standard  requirement.     So  long  as  we  depend  on  ap- 
proximate group  values,  as  measured  by  the  bread  terms  protein, 
nitrogen-free  extract,  crude  fiber,  ether  extract,  and  so  on,  so  long 
will  we  secure  widely  variable  and  disappointing  results. 

10.  Our  observations  suggest  strongly  that  the  type  of  pig 
used  will  surprisingly  affect  the  feeding  standard  requirement. 
Apparently  there  should  be  a  standard  for  every  type. 

11.  In  short,  the  feeding  standard  requirement  is  altered  by 
many  outstanding  factors:     (a)  The  goal  sought  as  regards  age, 
weight,  finish,  final  product,  and  other  essentials;    (b)   type  and 
breeding  of  pigs  used;  (c)  character  and  quality  of  feeds  depended 
upon;  (d)  methods  of  feeding,  as  times  per  day,  soaking,  grinding, 
cooking  and  slopping;    (e)   systems  of  management,  as  exercise, 
control,  housing  conditions,  castration  and  spaying;    (f)   health, 
thriftiness  and  natural  vigor  (disease  infection  and  parasitic  infes- 
tation play  an  important  role),  and  (g)   climate.     There  may  be 
others. 

12.  Practice,  has  changed  wonderfully  in  the  last  100  years  as 
regards  market  weights  of  swine.     In  the  old  days  it  was  not  un- 
usual to   market  entire   droves  of  hogs  weighing  500,    600   and 
even  up  to  800  and  900  pounds.    To  make  such  hogs  roughing  was 
in  order.     These  studies  tend  to  emphasize  the  correctness  of  that 
scheme.    But  there  has  been  a  great  change  in  market  fashion,  so 
that  nowadays  the  average  marketable  handy  weight  of  225  pounds 
is  in  most  consistent  demand.     To  meet  new  demands  we  must 


172  HOW  TO  FEED  YOUR  HOGS 

devise  different  methods  and  modem  methods.  It  is  apparent  that 
the  man  in  the  field  has  not  altered  his  methods  of  feeding  to  keep 
pace  with  market  changes  and  demands.  Hence  the  reason  why 
self-feeding  pigs  to  handy  weights  has  been  long  neglected.  In- 
stinctively we  tend  to  do  things  as  our  fathers  and  grandfathers 
did  them,  but  this  may  sometimes  be  a  virtue ;  so  too  such  imitation 
of  methods  may  seriously  retard  real  progress. 

13.  The  development  of  the  free-choice  system  of  swine  feed- 
ing marks  another  stepping  stone  in  progress  toward  more  efficient 
methods  of  swine  feeding.  It  provides  a  new  viewpoint,  a  new 
attitude,  a  new  basis  for  thought  and  action.  It  is  profitable  to 
look  forward  to  the  development  of  the  best  possible  free-choice 
system;  in  the  meantime  keeping  clearly  and  steadfastly  in  mind 
that  we  can  improve  upon  the  pigs '  own  method  of  selection. 

Self -Feeding  Don'ts. — In  closing  the  chapter  it  may  be  well 
to  repeat  a  few  self-feeding  "don'ts"  which  are  to  the  point: 

Don't  depend  absolutely  on  the  self-feeder  for  all  classes  and 
kinds  of  swine.  Don't  self -feed  if  you  don't  want  relatively  rapid 
gains,  or  if  you  wish  to  grow  pigs  along  slowly  unless  of  course 
you  use  bulky  feeds,  such  as  pasture  or  hay.  Don't  self-feed 
pregnant  sows  on  highly-concentrated  feed,  excepting  early  in  the 
breeding  season,  or  unless  you  mix  bulky  feeds,  such  as  ground  oats, 
alfalfa  meal,  or  bran  with  feeds.  Don't  expect  the  self-feeder  to 
save  all  the  work,  because  it  won't.  Don't  think  that  although  the 
"self "  method  works  out  meritoriously  in  many  circumstances  with 
hogs,  that  the  same  would  be  true  of  beef  and  dairy  cattle,  horses, 
sheep,  poultry  and  goats.  Don't  always  expect  the  hog  econom- 
ically to  balance  the  ration,  no  matter  what  feeds  you  allow.  The 
hog  is  not  an  economist;  he  is  a  physiologist  by  instinct;  he  will 
eat  to  suit  himself,  and  if  you  feed  him  sugar  he  disregards  the 
price.  But  it  is  surprising  how  well  the  hog  likes  corn.  In  the 
cornbelt  it  is  the  one  great  feed  for  swine,  and  is  most  admirably 
adapted  to  self-feeding.  Don't  you  know  that  hogging-down  corn 
is  practiced  by  farmers  because  it  pays?  Don't  you  know  that  it 
is  "the  most  natural  self-feeder  method"  of  harvesting  corn? 
Don't  expect  pigs  on  dry,  hard  bluegrass  to  do  well  when  self -fed 
on  corn.  Either  "green-up"  the  grass  or  supply  rape,  alfalfa  and 
the  like.  Don't  self -feed  and  expect  the  optimum  results  unless 
you  keep  water  before  the  hogs,  so  that  they  be  continuously  sat- 
isfied for  drink.  Don't  self -feed  tankage  or  meatmeal  if  you  limit 
the  corn  ration  and  expect  the  pigs  to  eat  as  little  as  when  self -fed. 
When  the  pig  gets  hungry,  it  is  eat  tankage  or  nothing,  and  he  eats 
the  tankage,,  and  the  tankage  consumption  in  this  case  is  a  little 
lighter,  but  it  is  now  considered  a  fair  practice  to  self-feed  tank- 
age, even  though  the  corn  is  hand  full-fed,  because  we  have  learned 
that  hogs  which  are  receiving  a  somewhat  limited  ration  of  corn, 
limited  by  whatever  means,  actually  require  more  protein  feeds 
daily  than  when  the  corn  is  self -fed.  Don't  expect  the  self-feeder 
to  be  a  panacea  for  all  feeding  troubles,  because  to  expect  that  is 
to  expect  that  the  millennium  has  come. 


PART  III 

BREED  HISTORIES 
CHAPTER  I 

THE  BERKSHIRE 

By  H.  T.  MORGAN 

Most  authors  take  the  position  that  the  Berkshire  is  the  oldest 
of  the  existing  breeds  of  swine,  and  while  its  ancestry  is  somewhat 
obscured  in  antiquity  I  doubt  whether  it  has  a  rightful  claim  to  the 
title  of  being  the  oldest  of  the  present-day  breeds.  Prior  to  about 
1850  the  Berkshire  was  not  much  like  the  pig  of  that  name  that  we 
recognize  today  as  the  "aristocrat  of  the  swine  breed."  Indeed  it 


A  Grand  Champion  Berkshire  Boar 

was  not  until  a  number  of  years  after  1850  that  the  black  color, 
with  "six  white  points,"  became  well  established,  or  "fixed"  as  a 
breed  characteristic.  During  the  past  few  years  the  writer  has 
given  a  considerable  amount  of  time  and  study  to  the  work  of 
compiling  a  history  of  Berkshires,  and  in  his  research  has  traveled 
some  thousands  of  miles  in  visiting  the  older  breeders  in  various 
parts  of  the  United  States.  I  have  had  much  correspondence  with 
breeders  of  Berkshires  in  England  and  Canada,  and  have  had,  I 
believe,  access  to  most  of  the  historical  matter  pertaining  to  the  sub- 
ject on  file  in  our  large  public  libraries.  Everybody  knows  that  the 
native  home  of  the  Berkshire  is  in  England,  where  it  is  supposed 
to  have  been  developed  as  a  breed  in  the  counties  of  Berkshire  and 
Wilts  in  the  south-central  part.  Other  neighboring  counties  were 
also  prominently  associated  with  the  development  of  the  breed. 
Back  in  1789  Culley,  a  historian  of  note,  wrote  as  follows : 

"The  most  noted  breed  of  hogs  in  this  Island  is  that  excellent 
kind  generally  known  as  Berkshire  pigs,  now  spread  through  almost 

173 


174  BREED  HISTORIES 

every  part  of  England,  and  some  places  in  Scotland.  They  are  in 
general  reddish-brown,  with  black  spots  upon  them,  large  ears, 
hanging  over  their  eyes,  short-legged,  small-boned,  and  exceedingly 
inclined  to  make  fat  easily." 

Culley  also  testifies  to  the  large  weight  of  the  breed,  and  men- 
tions animals  weighing  well  over  1,100  pounds.  Surely  the  fore- 
going description  does  not  fit  the  present-day  Berkshire. 

Early  Improvement. — The  early  improvement  of  the  Berkshire 
was  undoubtedly  due  to  the  .refining  influence  of  a  generous  intro- 
duction of  Chinese,  Siamese  and  Neopolitan  blood.  In  1842  Prof. 
Low  wrote  as  follows: 

"The  Berkshire  breed  has,  like  every  other,  been  crossed  and 
recrossed  with  the  Chinese,  or  Chinese  crosses,  so  .as  to  lessen  the 
size  of  the  animals,  and  render  them  more  suited  to  the  demand 
which  has  arisen  for  small  and  delicate  pork." 

In  1830,  according  to  Youatt,  the  Berkshire  was  still  classed  as 
a  larger  hog,  sandy  or  whitish-brown  in  color,  spotted  regularly 
with  dark-brown  or  black,  the  body  covered  with  long  thin,  soft 
hair  (sometimes  curly),  and  free  from  bristles.  The  ears  were  erect 
and  fringed  with  long  hair,  the  head  and  snout  short,  body  thick 
and  compact,  legs  short,  skin  thin  and  bacon  of  superior  quality. 
At  this  period  we  see  a  long  step  in  the  line  of  improvement,  but  we 
of  today  would  scarcely  call  such  an  animal  a  Berkshire.  At  that 
period  (1830)  it  was  regarded  as  "one  of  the  best  breeds  in 
England." 

Pioneer  Breeders.— In  my  opinion  it  is  to  Heber  Humfrey  of 
England,  J.  C.  Snell  of  Ontario  and  N.  H.  Gentry  of  Missouri  to 
whom  the  greatest  credit  must  be  accorded  in  the  later  develop- 
ment of  the  modern  Berkshire,  and  it  is  due  to  the  constructive 
ability  and  persistent  enterprise  of  these  men  that  the  type  of  the 
breed  has  become  fully  established  and  recognized  throughout  the 
world.  Berkshires  were  first  brought  to  America  in  1823,  accord- 
ing to  A.  B.  Allen  of  New  York.  Mr.  Allen  was  an  admirer  of  the 
breed,  and  did  much  to  encourage  its  early  popularity  in  this  coun- 
try. In  1841  he  himself  imported  41  head,  after  personally  inspect- 
ing many  of  the  British  herds,  and  subsequently  made  other  impor- 
tations. 

Commencing  about  1840,  many  Berkshires  found  their  way  into 
Ohio,  where  they  became  popular  in  the  great  Miami  Valley  in  the 
vicinity  of  Cincinnati,  at  that  time  the  greatest  corn  and  hog-pro- 
ducing section  of  the  United  States.  The  breed's  popularity  con- 
tinued to  increase  until  about  the  time  of  the  Civil  War,  when 
breeders,  for  some  unaccountable  reason,  allowed  their  herds  to 
degenerate,  so  that  at  the  begining  of  about  1870  but  few  good 
representative  specimens  were  available  in  this  country.  It  was 
approximately  in  this  period  that  John  Snell  of  Canada  imported 
his  first  "English  Berkshires,"  and  they  soon  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  N.  H.  Gentry,  who,  then  a  young  man,  went  to  Canada  and 
brought  home  a.  number  of  the  best  individuals  from  the  Snell  herd. 
It  was  early  in  the  70 's  that  T.  S.  Cooper  of  Pennsylvania  imported 
a  number  of  choice  Berkshires  from  England,  and  it  was  "Cooper 


THE  BERKSHIRE  175 

in  the  East  and  Gentry  in  the  West"  who  put  Berkshires  on  the 
American  map. 

An  English  Authority. — One  of  the  most  interesting  contribu- 
tions to  the  history  of  the  breed  is  a  letter  which  I  received  a  year 
ago  from  Edgar  Humfrey,  secretary  of  the  British  Berkshire 
Society,  whose  father,  the  late  Heber  Humfrey,  was  the  first  sec- 
retary of  the  British  Berkshire  Society  and  the  most  noted  breeder 
of  Berkshires  in  his  day.  Edgar  Humfrey  at  my  request  visited 
a  number  of  the  older  breeders  of  Berkshires  in  hi$  country,  and 
obtained  from  them  valuable  data  with  reference  to  the  Berkshire 
of  England  from  a  time  dating  back  as  far  as  60  3rears  ago.  These 
data  supplemented  by  notes  left  by  his  late  father,  who  began  the 
active  breeding  of  Berkshires  in  1862,  give  a  fund  of  authentic 
information  which  I  believe  should  be  preserved  in  book  form. 
J.  Pittman  King  of  North  Stoke,  Wallingford,  is  the  oldest  living 
breeder  of  Berkshires  in  England  today.  He  started  his  herd  in 
1862.  He  states  that  in  1850  there  were  in  Berkshire,  England, 
several  large  herds  which  had  been  carefully  bred.  These  hogs 
possessed  great  length  of  body  and  rather  long  heads,  with  ears 
standing  forward.  The  general  color  of  these  hogs  was  black,  with 
occasional  splashings  of  white,  but  at  that  period  no  special  effort 
was  being  made  to  breed  white  points  in  any  particular  place.  Mr. 
Pittman  states  that  in  about  1855  more  attention  was  being  given 
to  setting  a  standing  of  white  points  on  a  black  ground.  Mr.  King 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  British  Berkshire  Society  in  1884, 
several  years  after  the  American  Berkshire  Association  was  estab- 
lished. 

Russell  Swanwick  of  Cirencester,  another  English  breeder,  en- 
gaged in  the  business  in  1867,  and  is  still  in  the  ranks  of  active 
production.  He  states  in  1867  that  the  color  of  the  Berkshire  in 
the  middle  50 's  was  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  the  present.  He 
also  states  that  as  late  as  1870  certain  crosses  of  the  "small  black ': 
(originally  the  Chinese  or  Japanese  breed)  was  introduced  by  cer- 
tain English  breeders  to  check  the  apearance  of  too  much  white, 
which  had  appeared,  due  no  doubt  to  a  white  or  spotted  cross, 
which  had  been  used  at  an  earlier  date.  He  also  believes  that  this 
black  cross  resulted  in  the  modern  shortened  snout  with  its  acute 
angle,  the  black  wrinkled  nose,  and  at  the  same  time  produced  a 
consistently  better  crest.  T.  S.  Cooper  imported  a  large  number  of 
the  best  hogs  bred  by  Mr.  Swanwick  in  the  early  70 's.  Quoting 
from  Mr.  Humfrey 's  letter: 

"In  summing  up  the  evidence  of  those  in  England  who  can 
speak  with  authority  it  is  clear  that  the  Berkshire  was  commencing 
to  assume  a  separate  stock  of  its  own  about  1830,  and  that  it  con- 
tinued to  thrive  with  amazing  fertility  and  ever-increasing  quality 
over  the  next  15  years,  when  we  find  it  in  the  hands  of  many  enter* 
prising  country  gentry,  who  may  be  called  the  earliest  pioneers  of 
the  breed,  since  it  was  in  their  time  that  the  construction  in  color 
was  definitely  fixed,  and  bred  to,  and  the  type  improved.  In  the 
next  decade  from  1860,  several  other  well-known  breeders  came 


176  BREED  HISTORIES 

into  the  field.  After  1870  many  others  followed  and  so  on  down 
to  the  present." 

Tribute  to  the  Breed  in  England. — Mr.  Humfrey  closes  his  let- 
ter with  the  following  tribute  to  the  accomplishments  of  the  Berk- 
shire in  his  country:  "If  I  may  dwell  for  a  moment  on  the  con- 
spicuous outstanding  merit  of  the  Berkshire,  apart  from  its  perfect 
markings,  beautiful  outline  and  symmetry  of  body,  it  would  be  in 
reference  to  the  wonderful  way  in  which  it  has  sustained  and  im- 
proved its  fine  proportions  of  fat  and  lean  and  good  quality  of 
bacon  and  pork  during  the  past  50  years.  For  the  most  convincing 
evidence  of  this  fact  we  need  only  see  the  results  of  the  competitions, 
open  to  any  breed  or  cross,  at  the  great  annual  Smithfield  Show  in 
London.  In  the  live  classes  since  1883  Berkshires  have  won  the 
championship  15  times,  and  it  has  been  awarded  7  times  to  a  Berk- 
shire cross  bred.  In  the  carcass  classes  at  the  same  show,  1904  to 
1915,  Berkshires  won  the  championship  and  reserve  for  same  every 
year.  They  have  also  won  40  out  of  45  first  prizes  awarded  in  12 
years,  the  classes  being  open  to  all  breeds.  "What  further  proof  need 
we  that  Berkshires  are  easily  first  for  quality. ' ' 

White  Berkshires. — How  many  Americans  are  aware  that  white 
Berkshires  were  ever  imported  to  this  country?  I  have  before  me 
a  copy  of  an  agricultural  paper  published  in  1842  at  Cincinnati 
which  describes  an  importation  of  white  Berkshires  which  were 
brought  into  the  Miami  Valley  that  year.  Portraits  of  other  im- 
ported Berkshires  of  that  period  indicate  that  many  of  them  were 
one-third  to  one-half  white.  Undoubtedly J"  however,  these  were 
hogs  from  Berkshire  County,  England,  and  were  of  strains  which 
entered  but  slightly  into  the  composition  of  the  present-day  Berk- 
shire. It  is  not  unlikely  that  these  white  hogs  were  the  forbears  of 
the  Suffolks,  or  perhaps  the  Yorkshires  of  today.  In  Kentucky  they 
have  a  breed  of  red  hogs  which  they  call  Red  Berkshires,  but  the 
writer  has  been  unable  to  discover  a  single  authentic  record  which 
would  indicate  that  they  have  anything  in  common  with  the  ancestry 
of  the  Berkshire.  The  evidence  on  which  I  base  my  opinion  as  to  the 
purity  of  the  Berkshire  as  a  breed  leads  me  to  say  that  the  breed 
today  can  boast  a  longer  period  of  time  without  the  introduction  of 
outbreeding  than  any  breed  of  swine  in  existence.  A  few  years  ago 
there  was  a  far  wider  variation  in  type  than  is  noticeable  today, 
and  it  is  my  opinion  that  no  breed,  for  the  reasons  mentioned,  pos- 
sesses the  prepotency  of  the  Berkshire. 


CHAPTER  II 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY 

Accurate  information  of  the  origin  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  breed 
does  not  seem  to  be  of  record.  It  is  generally  supposed  that  this 
breed  is  strictly  American,  yet  some  information  available  seems  to 
point  to  the  fact  that  the  original  stock  was  imported  at  an  early 
date.  The  best  information  available  bears  out  the  statement  that 
originally  there  were  two  distinct  families  of  this  popular  breed 


A   Grand   Champion  Duroc  Jersey   Boar 

going  under  separate  names,  that  of  * '  Jersey  Reds ' '  and  ' '  Duroos. ' ' 
The  name  Jersey  Red  was  probably  given  to  this  family  by  Joseph 
B.  Lyman,  a  resident  of  New  Jersey  and  an  agricultural  editor  of 
the  New  York  Tribune.  Previous  to  this  time  the  breed  had  been 
called  Red  Hogs.  A  Mr.  Lippincott,  of  New  Jersey  was  probably 
the  first  man  to  advertise  these  hogs  as  Jersey  Reds. 

History  records  the  fact  that  in  1832  there  were  a  pair  of  red 
pigs  shipped  from  England  to  New  Jersey.  Clark  Pettis  makes  this 
statement.  "Their  unique  color  rendered  them  objects  of  special 
interest  in  a  locality  long  noted  for  successful  swine  breeders  and 
feeders,  among  whom  had  long  existed  a  great  spirit  of  rivalry  %as 
to  whom  should  annually  win  the  honor  of  raising  the  best  lot  of 
hogs,  making  the  greatest  average  weight  at  different  ages  for  which 
prominent  Philadelphia  butchers  paid  advance  prices." 

The  Duroc  family  were  so  called  by  Isaac  Frink,  of  Milton,  Sara- 
toga county,  New  York.  Mr.  Frink  visited  the  farm  of  Harry  Kel- 

177 


178  BREED  HISTORIES 

sey,  of  Florida,  N.  Y.,  who  was  the  owner  of  a  noted  stallion  named 
Duroc.  While  on  this  visit  Mr.  Frink  saw  a  litter  of  ten  red  pigs, 
the  production  of  a  pair  brought  by  Mr.  Kelsey  from  Oyster  Bay, 
N.  Y.,  or  imported  from  England.  Information  available  shows 
that  Mr.  Kelsey  told  Mr.  Frink  they  were  imported,  but  it  is  pos- 
sible that  the  term  was  misused. 

Farmers  and  hog  growers  were  very  much  impressed  with  the 
productive  power  of  these  red  pigs  and  they  were  much  sought 
after,  taking  the  name  of  Duroc  because  of  the  noted  stallion  owned 
by  Mr.  Kelsey.  It  seems  that  the  Duroc  family  of  red  hogs  at  this 
time  possessed  more  quality  and  probably  finer  bone  than  the  Jersey 
Bed  but  in  the  course  of  time  the  two  families  were  inter-bred  with 
the  result  of  a  larger  hog  with  more  quality  that  seemed  to  meet 
with  great  favor  wherever  they  were  known  and  later  on  assumed 
the  name  of  Duroc-Jerseys. 

The  older  breeders  and  growers  of  hogs  well  remember  the  time 
when  the  Duroc-Jersey  hog  was  a  curiosity  at  our  larger  state  fairs. 
It  is  well  within  the  memory  of  many  of  the  breeders  who  are 
actively  breeding  Duroc-Jerseys  today  that  one  who  would  have  the 
nerve  to  take  an  exhibit  of  them  to  a  fair  was  regarded  as  being 
fanatical.  The  fact  remains,  however,  that  these  men  were  not 
fanatics,  but  showed  genuine  judgment  in  the  selection  of  this  breed. 
We  know  of  one  particular  locality  where  some  twenty-four  years 
ago  a  breeder  bought  a  pure-bred  Duroc-Jersey  sow  and  began  the 
production  of  this  breed.  At  that  time  there  was  not  another  Duroc- 
hog  within  fourteen  miles  of  this  man's  farm.  Inquiry  of  the  hog 
buyer  at  the  town  where  this  man  lived  recently  revealed  the  fact 
that  at  the  present  time  85  per  cent  of  all  the  hogs  shipped  from 
this  town  to  market  were  solid  red.  What  was  done  in  popularizing 
the  breed  in  this  particular  locality  has  been  done  in  many  of  the 
best  hog  growing  districts  throughout  the  United  States.  Farmers 
and  hog  growers  never  would  have  taken  hold  of  this  breed  of  hogs 
and  promoted  them  to  the  extent  they  have  unless  there  was  genuine 
merit  and  feeding  qualities  to  warrant  the  effort. 

In  practically  all  of  the  leading  hog  shows  throughout  the 
United  States  the  numbers  of  Duroc-Jerseys  are  equal  to  that  of 
any  other  breed;  in  many  of  these  shows  there  are  more  Duroc- 
Jerseys  shown  than  any  other  breed  and  in  some  of  the  leading 
shows  as  many  as  all  other  breeds  combined.  The  visitor  to  these 
fairs  will  bear  out  the  statement  that  in  these  large  numbers  shown 
they  will  find  quality  in  proportion  to  numbers. 

In  recent  years  there  are  many  parts  of  the  United  States  in 
which  hogs  are  being  successfully  grown  that  a  few  years  ago  were 
not  producing  any.  The  popular  Duroc-Jersey  breed  will  be  found 
in  practically  all  of  these  new  localities.  The  farmer  and  hog 
grower  of  today  whether  he  be  located  in  a  new  locality  or  an  old 
one  recognizes  the  fact  that  in  order  to  succeed  as  he  should  he 
must  produce  the  best.  In  starting  his  business  he  gives  the  matter 
of  breed  selection  careful  attention.  The  very  fact  that  as  we  have 
stated  that  this  careful  attention  to  breed  selection  has  been  given 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY  179 

and  that  Duroc-Jerseys  have  been  found  in  these  localities  shows 
that  they  are  one  of  the  breeds  for  maximum  profit.  In  the  leading 
barrow  shows  throughout  the  United  States,  Duroc-Jersey  barrows 
are  carrying  away  their  full  share  of  the  honors,  in  singles,  pens 
and  car-load  classes. 


CHAPTER  III 


THE  CHESTER  WHITE 

As  the  earliest  swine  writers  make  no  mention  of  a  native  Amer- 
ican hog,  and  as  the  Chester  White  breed  is  an  American  product, 
it  follows  that  we  must  look  for  the  source  of  the  origin  of  the 
breed  to  the  progeny  of  swine  that  were  brought  over  from  the 
European  countries  by  the  earliest  settlers  in  America.  An  analysis 
of  the  common  stock,  as  found  in  New  England  and  Pennsylvania, 


A  Prize  Winning  Chester  White  Sow 

early  in  the  nineteenth  century,  from  which  stock  the  breed  evi- 
dently had  its  origin,  shows  that  they  possessed  the  characteristics 
of  the  early  English  white  breeds,  as  the  Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire  and 
Cheshire.  Authors  agree  as  to  the  English  origin  of  the  Yorkshire 
and  Lincolnshire,  but  as  to  the  origin  of  the  Cheshire  opinions  dif- 
fer. Be  that  as  it  may,  the  origin  of  the  large  white  hog  as  found 
in  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  early  in  the  nineteenth  century  is  partly  accred- 
ited to  the  blood  of  the  Cheshire  hog.  These  Pennsylvania  hogs 
were  white,  very  large,  bony,  coarse,  muscular  and  only  showed 
good  feeding  qualities  when  matured,  or  nearly  so.  Some  of  them 
dressed  over  1,000  pounds. 

Early  Improvement. — The  first  impulse  toward  the  most  suc- 
cessful improvement  of  these  large  hogs  is  accredited  to  Capt.  James 
Jeffries,  who  introduced  a  pair  of  fine  white  pigs,  known  as  the 
Woburn,  from  Bedfordshire,  England,  and  located  them  on  his 
farm  in  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1818.  The  Woburn  was  of  the  smaller, 

180 


THE  CHESTER  WHITE  .  181 

compact  type,  a  quick  maturing  animal,  of  good  disposition  and 
an  excellent  feeder.  The  constructive  breeders  of  Chester  and 
Delaware  counties,  in  Pennsylvania  soon  realized  that  by  crossing 
Bedfordshire  or  Woburn  hogs  on  the  best  white  hogs  of  the  county 
great  improvement  was  made,  and  by  selection  and  judicious  breed- 
ing for  thirty  years  a  hog  was  developed  that  would  reproduce  its 
characteristics  to  such  a  degree  that  it  became  known  as  a  distinct 
breed,  and  was  named  in  1848  " Chester^ County  White."  which 
soon  became  generally  known  as  "Chester  White."  It  has  the 
distinction  of  being  the  first  named  American-made  breed  of  swine. 

A  Breeder's  Description. — A  brief  description  of  these  hogs 
by  Paschall  Morris  of  Philadelphia,  a  breeder  of  that  period,  says : 
*  *  They  are  generally  recognized  now  as  the  best  breed  in  this  coun- 
try, coming  fully  up  to  the  requirements  of  a  farmer 's  hog,  and  are 
rapidly  superseding  Suffolks,  Berkshires  and  other  smaller  breeds. 
The  best  specimens  may  be  described  as  long  and  deep  in  the  car- 
cass, broad  and  straight  in  the  back,  short  in  the  leg,  full  in  the 
ham,  full  shoulder,  well  packed  forward,  admitting  of  no  neck, 
very  small  proportionate  head,  short  nose,  dish  face,  broad  between 
the  ej'es,  moderate  ear,  thin  skin,  straight  hair,  a  capacity  for  great 
size  and  to  gain  a  pound  per  day  until  they  are  two  years  old. 
Add  to  these  quiet  habits  and  an  easy  taking  on  of  fat,  so  as  to 
admit  of  being  slaughtered  at  almost  any  age,  and  we  have  what  is 
considered  in  Chester  county  a  carefully-bred  animal  and  what  is 
known  elsewhere  as  a  fine  specimen  of  a  breed  called  *  Chester 
County  White/  ! 

As  the  different  hogs  from  which  the  breed  was  created  were  all 
white,  or  nearly  so,  its  power  to  transmit  a  pure  white  coat  on  any 
outcross  was  the  pride  of  the  originators  and  supporters,  and  much 
has  been  said  of  the  white  coat  and  the  pink  skin  of  the  early 
Chester  White  swine.  The  Chester  White,  from  its  adaptability 
as  a  farmer's  hog  and  from  its  phenomenal  winnings  wherever 
shown,  became  and  was  acknowledged  by  writers  as  the  most  popu- 
lar breed  in  America  during  the  60 's  and  70 's.  This  popularity 
stimulated  a  most  profitable  business  in  breeding;  so  much  so  that 
the  breeders  who  kept  their  herds  pure  could  not  readily  supply  the 
demand,  and  dealers,  who  saw  an  opportunity  for  speculation, 
bought  thousands  of  mongrel  white  pigs  and  sold  them  as  pure- 
breds,  and  the  fact  that  they  did  not  breed  true  to  color  and  char- 
acteristics so  menaced  the  popularity  of  the  breed  that  it  received 
a  back-set  that  required  some  time  to  overcome.  Thus  the  best 
American  breed  of  hogs  that  had  been  created  on  constructive  lines 
and  had  made  for  itself  a  national  popularity  by  its  own  merits 
was  doomed  to  censure  by  the  practices  of  unscrupulous  dealers. 

The  First  Record. — During  the  time  between  1848,  when  the 
Chester  White  hog  was  named,  and  1884,  when  the  first  record 
association  for  the  breed  was  organized,  many  of  the  constructive 
breeders  who  were  ever  loyal  to  the  promotion  of  the  purebreds,  and 
who  continued  improving  the  breed  along  constructive  lines  from 
direct  ancestors  until  the  breed  again  had  national  popularity,  saw 
that  in  order  to  have  further  protection  from  unscrupulous  dealers 


182  BREED  HISTORIES 

it  would  be  necessary  to  form  an  association,  and  to  this  end  E.  R. 
Moody,  Eminence,  Ky.,  was  instrumental  in  organizing  the  first 
Chester  White  record  association  for  the  breed  in  1884.  E.  B. 
Ashbridge,  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  a  charter  member,  who  bred  them  and 
had  the  distinction  of  winning  more  prizes  over  all  breeds  during 
the  60 's  and  70 's  than  any  other  breeder  of  any  breed,  bought  his 
first  Chester  Whites  in  1848  from  Bennie  Hickman,  Chester  Co.,  Pa., 
one  of  the  first  few  men  to  whom  the  creation  of  the  breed  is 
accredited.  The  animals  with  which  he  made  these  winnings  were, 
like  their  early  ancestors,  very  large.  His  herd  boar  Jim  Burns  was 
slaughtered  when  five  years  old  and  dressed  over  1,000  pounds.  A 
grandson  of  this  hog,  when  three  years  old,  was  slaughtered  and 
dressed  946  pounds. 

The  Period;  Numerous  Records. — The  period  of  record  associa- 
tions for  the  breed  dates  from  1884.  Individual  efforts  made  for 
personal  prominence  by  the  handling  of  animals  of  the  breed 
brought  about  quite  a  number  of  record  associations  with  different 
claims  for  distinction.  With  the  writer's  years  of  breeding  and 
studying  the  affairs  of  the  breed,  he  has  noticed  that  the  result  of 
the  claim  made  for  distinction  has  not  only  confused  the  advocates 
of  the  breed  but  has  confused  the  public  as  well.  From  1884  up  to 
1913  unity  of  action  for  the  welfare  of  the  breed  was  menaced  by 
the  activities  of  seven  *record  associations  catering  to  the  business 
affairs  of  the  Chester  White  breed.  To  the  constructive  breeders 
and  loyal  supporters  of  the  breed  is  accredited  the  maintenance  of 
the  merits  of  the  breed  from  its  creation  up  to  1907,  when  the  first 
unity  of  action  was  manifested  in  promoting  the  breed  by  placing 
the  Standard  Chester  White  Record  on  such  a  financiaj  basis  as 
would  support  universal  breed  promotion.  A  growing  sentiment  to 
''boost"  the  breed  as  it  should  be  was  made  possible  by  launching 
of  the  "  White  Breeders'  Companion"  in  1910,  which  is  now  known 
as  "The  Chester  White  Journal" 

Merging  Associations. — With  the  improved  methods  and  pur- 
pose of  the  Standard  record  and  the  help  of  the  "Companion"  in 
showing  the  advantages  of  greater  unity  in  co-operation,  the  Ameri- 
can Chester  White  Record  consolidated  with  the  Standard  Chester 
White  Record  in  1913,  thereby  creating  the  Chester  White  Swine 
Record  Association,  which  the  National  0.  I.  C.  Chester  White 
Record  Association  joined  in  March,  1915.  To  the  progressive 
breeders  is  ascribed  the  progress  of  the  breed.  They  have  brought 
about  great  improvement  in  individuality,  and  uniformity  in  type 
and  size.  They  have  bred  a  heavier  coat  of  hair,  which  enables 
the  breed  to  stand  the  climate  in  all  countries  much  better  than  the 
original  Chester  White.  The  feet  and  legs  are  straighter,  with 
bigger  bone ;  backs  are  broader  and  stronger ;  the  sides  are  deeper 
and  the  head  and  face  are  neater.  All  of  these  improvements  have 
been  made,  yet  the  merits  of  the  breed  and  its  prolificacy  have  been 
maintained. 

*Note:  An  analysis  of  the  record  associations  and  the  claims  made  for  distinction 
can  be  obtained  by  writing  to  the  .Chester  White  Swine  Record  Association,  Rochester, 
Indiana. 


THE  CHESTER  WHITE  183 

A  Heavy  Breed. — The  Chester  "White  is  classed  as  a  large  breed 
of  the  lard  type.  Specimens  of  the  ancestors  of  the  breed  dressed 
over  1,000  pounds.  In  fact,  specimens  in  any  period  of  the  breed's 
history  have  dressed  1,000  pounds.  While  the  breed  has  the  capacity 
for  making  large  hogs,  a  table  of  the  average  weights  of  the  ani- 
mals shown  at  the  National  Swine  Show,  Omaha,  Nebraska,  in 
October,  1917,  may  be  of  interest : 

15  aged  boars  averaged  744  Ibs. — heaviest  one  915  Ibs. 

7  senior  year  boars    averaged  572  Ibs. — heaviest  one  710  Ibs. 

15  junior  year  boars  averaged  583  Ibs. — heaviest  one  720  Ibs. 

26  senior  year  boars    averaged  404  Ibs. — heaviest  one  460  Ibs. 

20  aged  sows  averaged  586  Ibs. — heaviest  one  690  Ibs. 

9  senior  year  sows     averaged  551  Ibs. — heaviest  one  630  Ibs. 

18  junior  year  sows    averaged  501  Ibs. — heaviest  one  530  Ibs. 

23  senior  sow  pigs       averaged  401  Ibs. —heaviest  one  415  Ibs. 

A  well-known  swine  writer  in  his  report  of  this  breed  at  the 
National  Swine  Show  says :  "  As  to  uniformity  of  size  for  age  the 
Chester  White  breed  is  unexcelled."  With  this  reputation  and  with 
the  winnings  that  this  type  of  Chester  White  has  made  in  the  bar- 
row shows  and  carcass  contests,  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  writer  that 
it  might  be  a  mistake  to  standardize  an  average  weight  very  much 
higher  than  is  shown  above.  The  Chester  White  is  easily  acclimated 
and  contented  under  different  conditions ;  is  a  good  grasser  a  clean 
dresser  and  a  profitable  cutter ;  is  prolific  and  raises  a  large  percent 
of  a  big  litter,  and  can  be  fitted  for  the  packer's  market  at  any 
age.  The  finished  product,  or  the  carcass  of  the  Chester  White  and 
its  crosses,  has  an  unparalleled  record  of  winnings  at  the  Inter- 
national Live  Stock  Exposition  in  Chicago.  The  standard  of  type 
for  the  breed,  as  formerly  used,  was  revised  by  representative  mem- 
bers of  the  Chester  White  Swine  Record  Association  and  the  0. 1.  C. 
Swine  Breeders'  Association  in  1913,  and  it  is  the  official  score  card 
for  the  breed  and  is  so  recognized  by  the  American  Association  of 
Expert  Judges  of  Swine. 

The  Record  Associations  for  the  breed  universally  recognized 
are  the  Chester  White  Swine  Record  Association,  Rochester, 
Indiana,  the  0.  I.  C.  Swine  Breeders'  Association,  Goshen,  Indiana, 
and  the  National  Chester  White  Record,  West  Chester,  Pennsyl- 
vania. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  POLAND  CHINA 

By  WM.  M.  MCFADDEN 
Secretary  of  the  American  Poland-China  Record  Association 

In  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  prior  to  the  devel- 
opment of  the  great  Middle  West,  where  grain  production  and  ani- 
mal husbandry  now  largely  obtain,  the  necessity  was  keenly  felt 
for  a  meat-producing  animal  which  could  not  only  condense  the  rich 
grain,  chiefly  corn,  and  carry  it  to  market,  but  consume  large 


A  Grand  Champion  Poland  China  Boar 

quantities  in  short  order,  and  be  got  to  market  as  speedily  as  pos- 
sible, once  the  grain  was  ready  to  feed.  In  the  absence  of  pure- 
bred hogs  or  records,  a  body  of  farmers  and  feeders  in  southwestern 
Ohio  set  about  designing  a  type  of  hog  suited  to  American  require- 
ments, selecting,  modeling,  developing  and  perfecting  various  sorts 
obtainable.  They  continued  this  cause  until  1877,  when  a  record 
was  established,  and  the  Poland- China  became  the  acknowledged 
"cornbelt  type,"  the  great  Middle  West  being  known  as  the  corn 
and  hog  belt,  later  styled  the  corn,  hog  and  clover  belt.  These  Ohio 
farmers  sought  a  type  of  hog  that  could  make  the  best  use  of  corn, 
because  corn  was  abundant,  and  the  most  bulky  crop  to  market  as 
raw  product. 

184 


THE  POLAND  CHINA  185 

Developed  and  perfected,  therefore,  under  American  environ- 
ment, by  undoubtedly  the  most  competent  and  skilful  men  who 
ever  engaged  in  a  like  enterprise,  whose  ideas  were  both  original 
and  constructive,  and  whose  primary  object  was  superior  feeding 
and  fattening  ability,  coupled  with  vigor,  size  and  rapidity  of 
growth,  the  essentials,  the  prime  requisites  of  economical  produc- 
tion and  packing  quality,  were  pre-eminently  established,  and 
grounded  in  the  breed  in  its  inception,  regardless  of  minor  consider- 
ations of  color,  markings  and  points  of  finish  or  fancy. 

To  the  fact  that  the  two  prime  factors — disposition  easily  to 
fatten  at  any  age,  and  to  make  rapid  and  immense  growth — 
were  staunchly  maintained  against  those  divisions  having  to  do  with 
the  outward  appearance  or  beauty,  is  due,  beyond  question,  the 
present  superiority  of  the  breed,  and  this  fact  is  also  accountable  for 
its  universal  popularity. 

The  geographical  origin  of  the  Poland- China  was  the  Miami 
Valley,  Butler  Co.,  0.,  and  the  origin  of  the  breed  dates  back  to 
early  in  the  nineteenth  century.  Previously  to  1816  two  breeds  of 
hogs  were  generally  known  in  this  valley:  the  Russian  or  Russia 
and  the  Byfield.  These  were  generally  bred,  and  their  blooji 
mingled  with  common  hogs  of  the  community. 

In  1816  a  boar  and  three  sows,  known  as  the  Big  China,  were 
brought  into  the  valley  by  the  Shakers'  society,  whose  members 
had  much  to  do  with  the  development  of  the  Poland-China  breed. 
Used  on  the  Russian  and  Byfield  crosses,  the  Big  China  produced 
superior  feeders,  and  much  improved  the  character  of  the  Miami 
Valley  hogs,  resulting  in  what  became  widely  known  as  the  Warren 
County  hog. 

Between  1816  and  1835  the  swine  industry  of  southwestern 
Ohio  had  a  great  impetus,  due  to  the  beneficial  effects  of  this  cross. 
In  1839  a  hog  called  the  Irish  Grazier  was  brought  into  the  county, 
and  was  one  of  the  main  factors  in  the  perfecting  of  the  Warren 
County  hog. 

The  Warren  County  hog  had  the  distinction  of  being  hardy, 
vigorous,  prolific,  and  much  larger  than  hogs  of  any  of  the  other 
common  breeds.  After  1839  no  outside  blood  was  brought  into  the 
county,  according  to  the  claim  made  of  men  in  a  position  to  know 
the  facts.  Breeders  of  swine  in  this  valley  became  "thoroughly 
assured  that  they  had  the  elements,  the  basis  of  a  good  breed  of 
hogs,  and  that  by  judicious,  discriminating  breeding  they  could 
produce  and  establish  a  breed  that  would  meet  the  demands  of 
the  country."  At  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Convention  in 
Indianapolis,  Ind.,'in  November,  1872,  a  committee,  authorized  to 
investigate  the  origin  of  the  breed,  made  a  report,  recommending 
the  name  "Poland-China,"'  which  was  adopted.  The  report  con- 
tinues : 

"This  breed  has  been  thoroughly  established.  For  more  than 
thirty-five  years  it  has  been  continuously  improving  without  the 


186  BREED  HISTORIES 

introduction  of  any  new  blood.  It  possesses  unquestioned  good 
qualities,  and  can  be  relied  upon  for  the  production  of  a  progeny 
of  like  good  points  and  qualities.  The  prominent  characteristics  of 
the  Poland-China  are  as  follows: 

1  'Hogs  of  good  length,  with  short  legs,  broad,  straight  backs, 
great  depth  of  body,  flanking  well  down,  very  broad,  full,  square 
hams  and  shoulders,  drooping  ears ;  short  heads,  wide  between  eyes ; 
of  spotted  or  dark  color.  They  are  hardy,  vigorous  and  prolific, 
and  when  fat  are  perfect  models,  pre-eminently  combining  the 
excellencies  of  both  the  larger  and  smaller  breeds." 

All  of  what  could  properly  be  said  about  the  breed  in  1872  can 
still  be  said,  and  much  more.  The  addition  of  some  degree  of  size 
has  been  one  of  the  most  popular  improvements  among  farmers. 
Added  bone,  substance,  and  the  holding  of  all  the  desirable  ele- 
ments of  prolificacy  and  broodiness  are  some  of  the  things  that 
have  served  to  keep  the  breed  as  the  best  model  for  successful  pork 
production. 

The  claim  that  the  Poland-China  is  the  only  strictly  American 
breed  was  questioned  by  a  number  of  persons  interested  in  other 
breeds.  But  close  study  and  careful  thought  in  regard  to  the  mat- 
ter has  resulted  in  a  general  acceptance  of  the  correctness  of  the 
statement.  The  consideration  of  this  matter  has  served  to  bring 
out  some  striking  facts,  quite  favorable  to  the  breed,  which  had  not 
previously  had  the  attention  which  their  importance  deserved. 

The  Poland-China  was  distinctly  the  result  of  the  constructive 
breeding  ideas  of  cornbelt  farmers.  Breeds  of  all  colors  and  many 
different  forms  and  characteristics  were  used  in  connection  with 
the  common  hogs  of  the  cornbelt  country  to  produce  the  Poland- 
China.  In  no  predominating  degree  did  the  breed  owe  its  form, 
conformation  and  easy  feeding  qualities  to  importations,  nor  to 
any  one  of  the  numerous  breeds  and  kinds  of  hogs  used  in  making 
the  Poland-China. 

The  breed  was  not  fashioned  after  any  hog  ever  seen  in  the 
world  before.  It  had  new  qualities,  new  possibilities,  a  new  form, 
and  was  not  only  a  new  hog,  but  pre-eminently  the  result  of  the 
environments  of  the  American  cornbelt.  In  short,  the  breed  was 
distinctly  entitled  to  that  slogan  which  now  bids  fair  to  become  so 
popular,  "Made  in  America." 

Many  significant  things  have  happened  during  the  last  few 
years  to  emphasize  the  growth  of  the  Poland-China  business  in  new 
territory,  and  the  popularity  of  the  breed.  Only  a  few  years  ago 
the  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  south  of  the  Ohio,  was 
smothered  under  a  bacon  type  blanket.  All  this  has  completely 
changed,  and  the  number  of  purebred  Poland-Chinas  in  this  sec- 
tion is  many  times  what  it  was  a  dozen  years  ago,  and  the  breed 
has  assumed  a  commanding  position,  where  formerly  it  made  an 
indifferent  showing.  Remarkable  progress  has  been  made  in  the 


THE  POLAND  CHINA  187 

Pacific  Coast  country  in  the  breeding  of  Poland- Chinas,  and  all  of 
the  great  northwest  portion  of  the  United  States.  Poland-China 
breeders  in  this  section  are' aggressive,  and  imbued  with  unbounded 
faith  in  the  breed. 

The  wide  dissemination  of  the  breed  in  the  great  northwest 
country  of  Canada,  extending  from  Manitoba  to  the  Pacific  Coast, 
has  marked  the  most  notable  epoch  in  the  way  of  breed  extension, 
which  the  Poland-China  has  ever  seen,  outside  the  so-called  cornbelt. 
The  increase  in  popularity  of  the  breed  has  doubtless  been  greatly 
assisted  by  the  large  number  of  cornbelt  farmers  who  have  settled 
in  that  territory.  It  is  noticeable,  however,  that  the  quick  growth 
and  easy-feeding  qualities  of  the  breed  have  commanded  favorable 
attention  from  a  great  many  people  in  this  section  who  were  for- 
merly bacon  hog  advocates. 

The  number  of  Poland-Chinas  being  recorded  at  present  is 
greater  than  ever  before.  The  introduction  of  the  breed  into  new 
territory  is  making  astonishing  progress.  In  addition  to  this,  there 
is  unmistakable  evidence  that  the  cornbelt  farmer,  after  having 
tried  some  experiment  in  breed  or  type,  or  having  noted  the  results 
of  such  experiments,  has  it  more  firmly  fixed  in  his  mind  than  at 
any  former  time  that  no  breed  of  hogs  has  in  its  makeup  so  many 
of  the  essential  elements  of  profitable  pork  production  as  the 
Poland-China. 

The  first  breed  fashioned  and  developed  in  America,  as  a  strictly 
American  breed,  to  meet  cornbelt  conditions,  the  Poland-China  is 
today  better  prepared  than  any  other  breed  to  serve  as  a  pork- 
making  machine.  Unexcelled  for  prolificacy,  unequaled  for  size 
with  quality,  and  size  for  age,  unapproached  for  adaptability  to 
average  farm  conditions,  the  popularity  of  the  Poland-China  is  for 
these  reasons  on  a  foundation  of  such  real  stability  and  tested  merit 
that  the  recent  remarkable  increase  in  business  is  easily  accounted 
for.  No  breed  of  hogs  offers  a  more  inviting  field  in  which  to  obtain 
sure  and  satisfactory  results  in  return  for  intelligent  and  pains- 
taking efforts. " 


CHAPTER  V 


THE  SPOTTED  POLAND  CHINA 

The  Spotted  Poland-China  breed  claims  its  origin  is  identical 
with  all  other  Poland- Chinas.  They  originated  from  an  amalga- 
mation of  from  five  to  seven  mongrel  breeds,  beginning  about  1830. 
The  first  record  association  of  the  Poland-China  breed,  the  old 
Central,  bears  out  this  statement,  as  its  first  volume  contains  photo- 
graphs and  descriptions  in  about  1877  of  black  hogs,  spotted  hogs, 


THE   SPOTTED  POLAND  CHINA 


189 


and  white  hogs  from  the  same  litter.  Many  Poland-Chinas  at 
that  time  were  white,  spotted  and  black.  We  maintain  that  through 
color  prejudices  the  white  hogs  and  spotted  ones  were  discriminated 
against  to  such  an  extent  that  they  were  almost  extinct  by  1910; 
but  a  few  breeders  held  out  for  spotted  'hogs,  and  in  1914  an 
association  was  formed  in  Indianapolis  for  a  record  from  that  time 
on  for  the  spotted  ones,  and  they  were  to  be  known  as  the  Spoted 
Poland-China. 

Many  of  the  hogs  included  in  the  National  Spotted  Poland- 
China  Record  Association  are  eligible  in  the  black  Poland-China 
records  also,  while  others  were  picked  up  in  1914  and  recorded 
as  foundation  animals. 

'We  do  not  claim  a  perfect  animal  in  type  or  color  at  this  time, 
but  we  do  claim  to  be  making  an  honest  effort  to  improve  our  hogs, 
and  to  breed  them  as  near  a  given  standard,  both  as  to  individuals 
and  as  to  color,  as  possible.  We  are  trying  to  develop  a  hog  of 
good  length,  a  nice  spring  of  ribs,  a  smooth  coat,  and  marked  about 
40  per  cent  white  and  nicely  spotted,  and  we  want  just  as  large  a 


188 


THE  SPOTTED  POLAND  CHINA  189 

hog  as  possible  to  maintain  its  feeding  qualities.  We  are  enjoying 
a  splendid  demand  in  every  section  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Spotted  Poland-Chinas.  We  have  now  recorded  about  7,000  head, 
have  954  members,  and  I  think  practically  every  state  in  the  union 
is  represented.  We  had  classes  in  at  least  fourteen  state  fairs  in 
1918.  We  are  strongly  inclined  to  believe  that  there  is  no  better 
breed  than  ours,  but  the  kind  of  hog  to  breed  is  ths  kind  one  likes 
best.  Success  with  every  breed  depends  on  the  efforts  of  the  man 
raising  the  hogs. 


CHAPTER  VI 


HAMPSHIRES 

The  Hampshire  hog  of  today  is  a  combination  type  being 
adapted  for  both  bacon  and  lard.  The  breed  is  of  English  origin 
and  according  to  Mr.  H.  F.  Work,  at  one  time  secretary  of  the  breed 
record  association,  the  Hampshire  traces  to  pigs  brought  to  Massa- 
chusetts from  Hampshire,'  England,  about  1820.  Descendants  of 
this  importation  were  taken  to  Kentucky  about  1825,  and  for  a 


A   Typical  Hampshire 

number  of  years  were  kept  pure  and  became  popular  with  hog 
breeders  in  Kentucky,  Illinois,  Ohio,  and  Indiana,  but  eventually 
became  so  mixed  with  other  breeds  that  it  was  hard  to  find  a  pure 
bred  Hampshire. 

In  the  early  70  's,  there  were  several  herds  along  the  Ohio  River, 
known  as  Thin-Rinds,  which  continued  to  exist  until  the  American 
Hampshire  Swine  Record  Association  was  established  in  Boone 
County,  Kentucky,  in  1893.  This  association  by  active  work  began 
to  improve  and  popularize  the  breed,  and  in  1904,  the  name  * '  Hamp- 
shire" was  officially  adopted  for  the  breed. 

The  Hampshire  hog  has  made  good  records  in  the  dressed  car- 
cass contests  and  the  barrow  shows  at  the  International  Live  Stock 
Expositions  and  other  national  shows.  It  is  held  in  high  esteem  by 

190 


HAMPSHIRES  191 

the  packers,  and  its  flesh  carries  a  high  percentage  of  lean,  and  is 
generally  fine  grained.  The  breed  gives  good  satisfaction  in  early 
maturity  and  feeding  qualities  and  is  a  good  grazer.  It  is  active, 
hardy,  and  adaptable  to  almost  any  climate. 

During  the  past  few  years,  there  has  no  breed  made  greater 
progress  than  has  the  Hampshire  in  development  of  individuality 
and  in  the  distribution  of  the  breed,  as  they  are  now  found  in  large 
numbers  in  most  of  the  states  as  well  as  becoming  popular  in 
Canada. 

According  to  the  standard  of  excellence  adopted  by  the  Amer- 
ican Hampshire  Swine  Record  Association,  the  ideal  Hampshire  has 
a  head  of  a  medium  length,  rather  narrow,  cheeks  not  full,  face 
nearly  straight,  and  medium  width  between  the  eyes.  The  eyes  are 
bright  and  lively,  and  free  from  wrinkles  or  fat  surroundings.  The 
ear  is  medium,  although  thin,  and  slightly  inclined  outward  and  for- 
ward. The  neck  is  short  and  well  set  to  the  shoulders ;  the  back  is 
straight  or  slightly  arched,  medium  breadth  with  nearly  uniform 
thickness  from  shoulder  to  ham,  and  full  at  the  loin.  The  sides  are 
full,  smooth  and  firm.  The  hams  are  of  medium  width  and  long 
and  deep.  The  legs  are  medium  length,  set  well  apart,  and  squarely 
under  the  body.  The  coat  is  fine,  straight,  and  smooth.  The  animal 
is  black  with  the  exception  of  a  white  belt  encircling  the  body, 
including  the  fore  legs.  The  disposition  of  the  Hampshire  is  docile, 
quiet,  and  easily  handled. 


CHAPTER  VII 


YORKSHIRES 

The  Yorkshire,  as  its  name  might  signify,  was  originated  in 
England  and  is  descended  from  large,  coarse  boned,  leggy  white 
hogs  which  were  common  in  Yorkshire  and  other  nearby  counties 
for  many  years.  The  exact  origin  of  the  breed  is  unknown.' 

Three  distinct  types  of  Yorkshires  are  bred :  the  Large,  Middle, 
and  Small  Yorkshire.  The  Yorkshire  is  strictly  a  bacon  type  hog, 


A   Typical  Yorkshire    Sow,    "Bacon   Type" 

and  is  used  with  splendid  success  in  crossing  on  smaller  types. 

The  first  authentic  report  of  an  importation  of  Yorkshires  to 
the  United  States  was  in  1892.  The  headquarters  for  the  breed  is 
in  Minnesota  with  representative  herds  in  many  sections  of  the 
United  States. 

In  Canada  the  breed  has  progressed  much  farther  than  in  this 
country,  and  is  one  of  the  most  popular  and  most  numerous  breeds 
found  there  today. 

The  Yorkshire  is  pure  white  in  color.  Black  hairs  disqualify, 
but  black  or  blue  spots  on  the  skin  do  not,  although  it  is  the  aim 
of  the  breeder  to  reduce  these  skin  spots  as  far  as  possible.  A  large 
proportion  of  lean  to  fat,  and  great  length  of  side  makes  the  York- 
shire particularly  desirable  as  a  bacon  producing  animal.  To  pro- 
duce a  very  fat  carcass  at  an  early  age,  the  Large  Yorkshire  is  not 
the  ideal  type.  It  is  a  special-purpose  breed,  and  that  purpose  is 
to  produce  bacon,  and  as  a  bacon  producing  animal  it  is  held  in 
very  high  regard. 

192 


CHAPTER  VIII 


THE  TAMWORTH 

The  Tamworth  is  one  of  the  oldest  breeds  of  improved  swine, 
there  being  no  out-crossing  for  more  than  100  years.  About  or  prior 
to  1812  Sir  Robert  Peel,  then  secretary  'for  the  English  Crown  to 
Ireland,  brought  from  Ireland  to  his  own  estate  in  England,  at  a 
place  called  Tamworth,  a  breed  of  swine,  probably  descendants  of 
the  Irish  Grazier.  Sir  Robert  was  much  interested  in  improvement 


A  "Bacon  Type"   Tamworth  Sow 

of  domestic  animals,  and  "Kept  this  breed  of  swine  pure  and  without 
an  outcross  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1850,  and  the  breed  became 
known  from  that  time  on  as  Tamworth. 

In  the  first  volume  of  the  National  Pig  Breeders'  Association 
herd  book  of  Great  Britain,  published  in  1885,  we  find  four  Tarn- 
worths  recorded, — two  sows  and  two  boars, — Ruby  272,  bred  by 
Lord  Hastings,  East  Dereham,  Norfolk;  Sanda,  274,  bred  by  Mrs. 
Jos.  Norman,  Tamworth,  England ;  Ruf us,  261,  bred  by  Lord  Hast- 
ings ;  Sampson,  263,  bred  by  Thos.  Watson,  Coleshill,  England. 

In  Vol.  XI  of  the  English  herd  book,  1895,  is  found  the  first 
published  standard  of  excellence.  It  is  practically  the  same  as  is 
in  use  today.  The  Tamworth  was  practically  red  in  color,  with 
occasionally  some  black  spots,  these  spots,  however,  denoting  no 
impurity  of  blood.  It  is  objectionable  merely  as  a  fancy  point,  and 
today  very  few  black  spots  are  seen. 

193 


194  BREED  HISTORIES 

The  second  volume  of  the  Canadian  Swine  Breeders'  Record, 
published  in  1893,  has  the  first  recording  of  Tamworths  in  America, 
imported  in  1889  by  John  Bell  L'Amoroux,  Ont,  Canada.  The 
breed  became  very  popular  throughout  Canada,  and  the  writer  at 
one  time  while  visiting  the  Toronto  Exposition,  the  great  Canadian 
fair,  saw  more  Tamworths  on  exhibition  than  any  other  one  breed 
of  swine.  How  long  previously  to  this  if  any  there  were  Tamworths 
in  Canada  the  writer  has  been  unable  to  ascertain. 

We  find  in  1881  Thos.  Bennett,  Rossville,  111.,  imported  from 
England  some  purebred  Tamworths.  Since  this  introduction  into 
the  United  States  the  Tamworth  has  been  slowly  making  gains. 
The  appearance  of  the  animal  has  been  against  it,  and  much  unjust 
criticism,  both  through  intent  and  ignorance,  has  been  cast  upon  the 
breed. 

Chief  Characteristics. — For  decades  before  the  introduction  of 
bacon  hogs  the  American  people  had  become  fixed  admirers  of  the 
lard  types  with  their  rather  short,  thick,  plump,  smooth  bodies  and 
short  heads,  necks  and  limbs.  The  Tamworth  conformation  inclined 
to  the  opposite  type.  The  wide  divergence  from  appearance  stand- 
point has  undoubtedly  militated  against  them,  even  in  the  face  of 
logical  reasoning  from  an  economic  standpoint.  The  Tamworths, 
contrary  to  the  opinion  of  some,  are  docile,  tractable  animals, 
responding,  as  all  animals  do,  to  the  character  of  the,  treatment 
accorded  them.  The  Tamworth  is  possessed  in  an  unexcelled  degree 
of  the  qualities  of  good  motherhood,  including  ease  of  conception, 
large  litters,  abundant  milk  supply  and  attentiveness  to  young. 
It  is  particularly  well  adapted  for  the  purposes  of  cross-breeding  in 
the  production  of  intermediate  types. 

The  Tamworth  is  pre-eminently  a  bacon  hog.  The  dressed  car- 
cass may  be  cut  up  on  the  local  dealer's  block,  and  retailed  with 
little  labor  and  expense  in  converting  the  by-products  into  market- 
able goods.  The  Tamworth  products  a  maximum  amount  of  bacon 
from  its  long,  lean,  deep  sides,  which  are  not  unduly  covered  with 
fat.  The  hams  and  shoulders,  being  devoid  of  an  excess  of  fat, 
meet  with  favor  on  the  market. 

From  the  standpoint  of  economic  production  there  is  no  reliable 
data  on  record  to  prove  that  it  costs  more  to  produce  a  given  weight 
with  the  bacon  than  the  lard  type  of  hogs.  A  number  of  compara- 
tive tests  have  been  made  by  several  institutions,  and  the  results  go 
to  show  that  the  Tamworth  is  capable  of  holding  its  own. 

Standing  of  the  Breed. — The  following  data  were  collected  by 
Geo.  M.  Rommel  of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry, 
and  published  in  Bulletin  No.  47  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 
Experiments  were  made  with  six  breeds,  at  eight  different  experi- 
ment stations,  with  reference  to  the  number  of  pounds  of  feed  con- 
sumed to  make  100  pounds  of  gain.  It  appears  that  the  Tamworth 
is  capable  of  holding  its  own  with  the  best  of  the  breeds. 

\ 


THE  TAMWORTH 


195 


Breed 

No.  of  Tests 

Total  No.  of 
Pigs 

Feed  for  100 
Ibs.  Grain 

Tamworth  
Chester  White 

16 
13 

92 
71 

344    Ibs. 
347 

Poland-China  
Berkshire  
Large  Yorkshire  
Duroc-Jersey  

22 
28 
11 
11 

96 
121 
67 
66 

357 
369 
407 
418 

As  a  range  hog  none  can  surpass  the  Tamworth;  in  fact,  it  has 
not  been  found  wanting  in  any  place,  north,  south,  east  or  west. 
Tamworth  sows  are  great  mothers,  producing  as  a  rule  large  litters 
and  raising  them.  The  percentage  of  loss  very  small.  To  show  the 
tendency  to  prolificacy  the  following  will  illustrate:  One  sow  in 
eighteen  months  farrowed  57  pigs,  and  raises  50  of  them;  another 
in  a  twelve-month  farrowed  42  and  raised  40  of  them. 

The  Tamworth  will  weigh  well  at  any  age,  but  to  get  full  growth 
and  weight,  which  occasionally  reaches  over  1,000  pounds  in  sows 
and  1,200  to  1,300  pounds  in  males,  the  time  required  to  reach 
maturity  may  be  a  little  longer  than  with  some  of  the  other  breeds ; 
but  how  long  it  would  take  the  others  to  reach  these  weights  we  do 
not  attempt  to  say.  It  is  reported  from  an  authority  that  a  Tam- 
worth was  killed  in  England  some  years  ago  that  weighed  alive 
1,607  and  dressed  1,330  pounds.  This  without  doubt  establishes  the 
heavy-weight  record  for  swine.  Amber  King  1705,  sold  by  W. 
Warren  Morton  of  Kentucky  to  the  John  Robinson  Circus,  weighed 
1,400  pounds,  and  was  shown  as  "the  largest  hog  in  the  world." 

Record  Association. — The  American  Tamworth  Swine  Record 
Association  was  organized  in  1897.  It  is  the  only  record  associa- 
tion of  the  breed  in  the  United  States,  and  the  only  exclusively 
Tamworth  record  association  in  the  world.  No  apology  is  due  either 
the  bacon  hog  for  his  looks  or  the  owner  for  his  choice.  The  most 
typical  of  all  bacon  hogs,  the  Tamworth  is  as  much  a  distinct  type 
of  hog  as  the  horse  is  of  the  equine  family.  Purebred  bacon  hogs 
should  never  be  confounded  with  the  lean,  unthrifty  and  half- 
finished,  half -starved  type  of  hog  of  all  breeds  or  no  breed  at  all, 
brought  to  market  and  offered  as  bacon  hogs.  Neither  should  the 
breadth  of  his  ears,  the  length  of  snout  or  of  leg  be  made  a  matter 
of  comparison  with  freaks  of  other  breeds.  The  undisputed  merit  of 
the  Tamworth,  together  with  the  kindly  spirit  of  his  breeder,  is 
rapidly  extending  his  acquaintanceship,  and  he  is  here  to  conquer 
conditions  as  he  finds  them.  "We  find  in  all  lines  of  endeavor  that 
there  are  some  who  are  aggressive,  and  push  their  business.  It  is 
so  in  the  breeding  of  purebred  stock,  and  too  many  engaged  in  the 
business  leave  all  the  push  and  publicity  to  the  few,  and  they  sit 
quietly  by  and  indirectly  get  the  benefit  at  the  expense  of  the 
hustler.  Let  each  breeder  stand  up  for  the  advantages  of  his  par- 
ticular breed,  and  the  value  of  the  PUREBRED  over  the  scrub. 
All  our  improvement  in  the  industry  has  come  through  the  pure- 
bred, the  pedigreed  animal.  Purebreds  make  most  economical  gains, 


196  BREED  HISTORIES 

mature  at  an  early  age,  are  more  uniform  in  shape,  color,  and 
quality,  hence  are  worth  more  for  market  purposes  than  scrubs. 
Purebred  sires  are  a  necessity. 

It  is  true  that  there  are  pedigree  scrubs,  but  these  are  to  be  dis- 
carded. No  breeder  who  wishes  to  build  up  a  permanent  business 
and  a  good  reputation  should  breed  from  inferior  animals,  or  sell 
their  produce  for  breeding  purposes.  The  price  asked  for  pure- 
bred animals  should  be  sufficient  to  guarantee  to  the  purchaser 
that  he  will  get  valuable  animals,  typical  of  the  breed.  Too  many 
purchasers  want  to  buy  cheap.  Don't  cater  to  that  kind  of  trade. 

In  the  swine  industry  let  there  be  a  higher  standard  of  excel- 
lence for  pedigree  stock,  a  more  general  appreciation  of  its  value 
among  breeders,  and  then  a  means  of  impressing  this  value  on  in- 
tending purchasers.  We  must  have  confidence  in  our  business,  else 
we  cannot  inspire  others  with  confidence.  More  and  more  is  con- 
fidence in  breeders  becoming  apparent,  and  those  who  have  or  will 
achieve  success  must  be  honest  and  have  the  confidence  of  the  public. 
A  sale  made  by  mail  should  be  as  satisfactory  as  by  personal  inspec- 
tion of  the  herd  by  the  would-be  purchaser.  That  inspires  confi- 
dence in  the  business. 

Breed  for  a  purpose,  have  an  ideal  and  strive  to  attain  it.  The 
breeder  who  aims  at  nothing  in  particular  usually  hits  the  mark. 
Nowhere  is  the  goal  of  him  who  follows  anywhere.  Breed  and 
feed  improve  live  stock  for  profit.  Breed  improved  live  'stock  for 
the  pleasure  there  is  in  it.  Breed  improved  live  stock  to  hand  a 
legacy  to  posterity,  something  of  value  that  will  show  that  you 
have  been  a  benefactor  to  your  community  while  engaged  in  a  liveli- 
hood, and  perhaps  carved  for  yourself  a  name  that  will  be  carried 
into  history.  The  true  breeder  does  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that 
any  improvement  made  in  breeding  has  been  done  to  improve  the 
animal  rather  than  to  wander  to  speculative  values.  While  im- 
provement goes  on,  the  ideal  must  be  kept  in  mind,  no  matter  what 
the  commercial  value  of  the  animal.  Those  who  have  stood  "pat," 
those  who  looked  into  the  future  and  guessed  it  would  be  good, 
have  not  been  disappointed;  they  are  reaping  their  reward. 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE  MULEFOOT 

By  JOHN  H.  DUNLAP, 
President,  American  Mule  foot  Hog  Breeders'  Association 

Aristotle,  who  was  born  in  384  B.  C.,  wrote  of  a  race  of  hogs 
with  undivided  toes  or  consolidated  hoofs.  Later  Linaeus,  the 
Swedish  naturalist,  born  in  1707,  wrote  that  hogs  with  undivided 
toes  were  not  uncommon  about  his  native  town  in  Sweden.  This 
hog  has  been  known  to  naturalists  in  different  parts  of  the  world  for 
more  than  2,000  years.  With  all  of  this  line  of  ancestry,  the  Mule- 
foot  is  a  stranger  to  the  great  rank  and  file  of  hog  breeders  today. 
Just  as  the  hut  builders  of  South  Africa  used  the  blue  mud  from  the 
diamond  vein  to  daub  his  house,  overlooking  the  immense  wealth 
carried  in  each  hod,  so  have  the  hog  breeders  overlooked  the  great 
value  of  the  Mulefoot.  It  is  a  real  diamond  which  was  neglected 
in  the  rough,  but  brought  to  perfection  has  surpassed  the  fondest 
hopes  of  the  most  enthusiastic. 

The  bottom  of  the  foot  of  these  hogs  is  soft  and  padlike,  similar 
to  the  pads  on  animals  of  the  cat  family.  This  would  indicate  that 
they  must  have  been  a  flesh-eating  animal  at  one  time,  and  nature 
provided  them  with  pads  to  enable  them  to  prey  on  other  animals. 
They  seem  to  be  the  same  as  other  hogs  except  for  their  feet,  yet 
I  find  their  intestines  are  smaller.  This  gives  them  a  larger  dress- 
ing percentage. 

This  breed  gets  its  name  from  its  solid  foot,  which  is  solid  like 
that  of  a  horse  or  mule.  The  flesh  is  of  a  remarkably  fine  flavor. 
There  are  a  great  many  ideas  held  about  its  origin,  but  this  as  well 
as  the  tendency  of  the  purebred  Mulefoot  to  assert  itself  with 
a  solid  foot  when  crossed  with  other  breeds,  is  still  puzzling  the 
scientists. 

My  attention  was  called  to  this  breed  by  a  letter  from  Mr.  Quinn 
of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.  It  seems  that 
the  Government  has  never  been  able  to  find  out  where  or  how  this 
breed  got  its  solid  foot.  Claims  are  made  by  many  who  purchased 
Mulefoot  of  me  that  compared  with  other  breeds  they  are  hardier, 
have  greater  vitality,  mature  earlier,  and  cost  less  to  make  the  first 
250  pounds.  The  sows  are  gentle,  kind  mothers,  are  usually  very 
prolific,  raising  large  litters,  which  if  turned  out  will  hustle  for 
their  living,  or  grow  and  thrive,  paying  big  returns  under  good 
care  and  attention.  They  claim  the  pigs  are  hardier  and  freer 
from  pig  diseases  than  pigs  of  other  breeds,  and  are  great  rovers, 
hustling  for  themselves  from  time  of  birth.  The  sows  are  better 
sucklers  than  those  of  any  other  breed  I  have  ever  had  under  ob- 
servation. They  seem  to  have  a  gre^at  capacity  to  produce  milk 
while  suckling  pigs  and  the  sows  are  harder  to  keep  in  high  flesh, 
but  as  soon  as  their  litters  ase  weaned  the  gain  in  flesh  is  very 

197 


198  BREED  HISTORIES 

rapid.  As  a  breeder  of  Mulefoot,  I  am  now  taking  pains  to  cross 
the  different  families,  and  to  have  a  hog  equal  to  any  breed.  While 
the  Mulefoots  have  been  inbred  to  a  certain  extent,  they  attain 
to  weights  equal  to  those  of  Poland- Chinas  or  Duroc  Jerseys,  and 
can  easily  attain  to  individual  weights  of  600  to  800  pounds. 
The  color  of  the  Mulefoots  is  usually  black,  sometimes  black  with 
white  spots. 


CHAPTER  X 


OTHER  BREEDS  OF  HOGS 

In  addition  to  the  standard  breeds  of  hogs  which  are  most 
numerous  in  the  United  States,  there  are  other  minor  breeds,  a 
number  of  which  have  only  local  distribution.  Others  have  in  the 
past  been  more  or  less  popular  but  have  lost  popular  favor  because 
of  deterioration  in  the  breed  or  some  other  reason.  These  minor 
breeds  are :  Essex,  Victorias,  Cheshires,  Suffolk,  Large  Black  Pig, 
and  Middle  White.  None  of  these  breeds  are  raised  to  any  extent 
in  the  United  States. 

The  Essex  originated  in  Essex  County,  England,  and  belongs 
to  the  small  breeds,  being  much  smaller  than  the  present  day  pop- 
ular breeds.  It  is  all  black  in  color,  smooth  and  compact  of  body. 
The  Improved  Essex  was  imported  into  the  United  States  in  large 
numbers  at  one  time,  but  practically  no  Essex  have  been  brought 
into  this  country  during  later  years.  The  Essex  is  quick  maturing 
and  easy  fleshing,  but  its  lack  of  size  prevents  it  from  becoming 
popular  with  the  farmer. 

The  Victoria  is  a  medium  sized  hog,  with  a  rather  short  snout, 
dished  face,  erect  ear,  and  white  in  color.  The  breed  was  originated 
about  1870  by  Geo.  F.  Davis,  Dyer,  Ind.,  and  was  formed  by  com- 
bining the  blood  of  the  Berkshire,  Chester  White,  Suffolk,  and 
Poland-China.  Although  a  breed  known  as  the  Victoria  was  orig- 
inated in  1850  by  Col.  F.  D.  Curtis  of  New  York,  the  breed  is  not 
generally  recognized  as  a  distinct  breed  and  is  not  widely  known. 

The  Cheshire  breed  was  originated  in  Jefferson  County,  N.  Y., 
about  1855.  Some  believe  that  Cheshire  is  simpty  a  derivative  of 
the  Yorkshires,  as  Yorkshires  were  brought  into  Jefferson  County 
and  crossed  with  white  pigs  of  that  neighborhood.  It  is  also  be- 
lieved that  Suffolk  blood  was  used  in  breeding  up  the  Cheshire. 
The  Cheshire  is  a  white  medium  sized  breed  with  slightly  dished 
face,  small  erect  ear,  fine  bone,  with  well  developed  shoulders  and 
hams.  The  breed  has  made  very  slow  progress  and  is  practically 
unknown  outside  of  the  United  States. 

The  Suffolk  is  a  small  breed,  with  dished  face,  small  and  very 
short  snout,  erect  ears,  and  a  thick  short  body,  set  up  on  very  short 
fine  boned  legs.  The  hair  is  of  a  pale  yellowish  white  color.  This 
breed  is  of  the  same  origin  as  the  small  Yorkshire.  There  is  no  such 
breed  as  the  White  Suffolk  recognized  in  England,  but  the  name 
is  sometimes  applied  locally  to  the  Small  Black  breed,  of  which  the 
Essex  is  a  representative.  The  breed  has  practically  disappeared  in 
Canada  and  is  found  only  in  small  numbers  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley  in  the  United  States. 

The  Large  Black  Pig,  as  its  name  would  signify,  is  solid  black 
and  of  large  proportions,  one  of  the  characteristics  being  a  very 

199 


200  OTHER  BREEDS  OF  HOGS 

large  drooping  ear.  It  is  somewhat  on  the  order  of  the  bacon 
type.  The  origin  of  the  breed  is  not  known,  although  it  has  been 
bred  for  many  years  in  England.  This  breed  is  hardly  known 
outside  of  England  and  is  bred  only  locally  there. 

The  Middle  White  is  in  reality  a  cross  between  the  Large 
White  and  the  Small  White,  although  it  is  recognized  in  England 
as  a  distinct  breed.  Some  of  the  breed  might  pass  as  the  Large 
White  and  others,  the  Small.  The  Middle  White  is  practically  un- 
known in  this  country,  although  a  few  have  been  imported  into 
America  during  the  past  few  years. 


CHAPTER  XI 


FARMERS  MEAT  SHOWS 

During  the  last  few  years  exhibits  of  country-cured  meat  have 
become  quite  common  throughout  the  United  States,  especially  in 
the  Central  and  Southern  portions  where  the  curing  of  hams  after 
the  old-time  recipes  has  reached  the  highest  degree  of  perfection. 

Of  all  the  states  in  the  Union,  Missouri  was  the  first  to  put 
on  a  Farmers'  Ham  and  Bacon  Show  under  state  auspices.  In 
January,  1913,  at  which  time  we  were  serving  as  assistant  secretary 
of  the  Missouri  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  we,  with  the  approval 
of  that  body,  inaugurated  the  pioneer  farmers'  meat  show.  Two 
factors  prompted  us  to  put  on  such  a  show.  We  wanted  to  get 
the  consumer  acquainted  with  the  outstanding  merits  of  country- 
cured  meat,  and  we  desired  also  to  interest  more  farmers  in  the 
making  of  meat  that  would  be  a  distinct  credit  to  the  country.  So 
the  show  was  both  an  exhibit  and  a  school.  Our  idea  was,  and 
still  is,  that  the  farmer  is  of  all  men  the  best  fitted  to  instruct  and 
interest  others  in  meat  making — or,  to  put  it  in  Missouri  parlance, 
to  "show  'em." 

The  first  exhibit,  held  in  the  Missouri  College  of  Agriculture 
buildings,  brought  out  a  few  very  excellent  pieces  of  country- 
cured  meat,  especially  hams,  but  in  the  main  the  exhibits  were 
sadly  lacking  in  attractiveness  and  uniformity.  Generally  speak- 
ing, the  quality  was  good,  and  the  men  who  knew  of  the  merits 
of  country  ham  eagerly  bought  all  that  were  for  sale  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  show.  At  the  same  time  the  city  consumer,  accus- 
tomed to  the  attractively  put  up  packing  house  product,  was  wont 
to  turn  up  his  nose  at  the  country-cured  ham — that  is  unless  his 
nose  caught  the  appetizing  aroma  of  said  ham.  In  this  event  it 
was  different.  To  taste  this  ham  was  ever  after  to  want  one. 

At  this  first  show  some  effort  was  made  to  establish  a  sort  of 
score  card  or  standard  of  excellence  for  hams.  A  tentative  score 
card  for  the  judging  of  hams  was  suggested  as  follows;  Size  and 
form — weight  (10  to  18  pounds)  5;  trim,  10;  symmetry,  5;  total,  20. 
Cure  and  quality — flavor,  50 ;  color,  10 ;  texture,  10 ;  proportion  of 
fat  to  lean,  5 ;  marbling,  5 ;  total,  80 ;  grand  total,  100. 

Not  only  was  the  second  Missouri  farmers'  ham  and  bacon 
show  larger  than  the  first,  but  the  quality  and  uniformity  of  the 
meat  was  superior.  The  improvement  of  trim  and  general  appear- 
ance of  hams  was  especially  noticeable  where  the  exhibitors  had 
made  entries  in  the  first  show.  The  third  annual  exhibit  repre- 
sented a  long  step  forward.  Clearly,  both  the  management  and 
the  exhibitors  were  learning  a  noteworthy  change  in  the  better 
display  of  meat  in  the  showroom.  This  included  more  and  clearer 
classifications,  with  rack  and  shelving  arrangements  calculated  to 

201 


202  FARMERS  MEAT  SHOWS 

bring  out  more  prominently  the  educational  side  of  the  show. 
For  instance,  after  the  hams  had  been  cut  for  the  inspection  of 
the  judges;  they  were  not  piled  in  a  heap  but  by  the  use  of 
proper  racks,  provided  with  shelving,  the  parts  of  the  ham  were 
kept  together  so  that  the  entire  piece  of  meat  might  be  seen  at  a 
glance.  This  arrangement  made  it  easy  for  the  public  to  compare 
the  outside  appearance  of  the  ham  with  the  appearance  after  it 
had  been  cut. 

In  the  third  annual  Missouri  show  the  prize  list  was  as  follows : 
Best  home-cured  country  ham,  $25 ;  second,  $15 ;  third,  $10.  Home- 
cured  country  bacon — first,  $25;  second,  $15;  third,  $10.  Home- 
cured  country  shoulders— first,  $12.50 ;  second,  $7.50.  Fresh  coun- 
try sausage,  first  $10,  and  second,  $5.00.  Smoked  or  fancy  country 
sausage,  first,  $10,  and  second,  $5.00.  In  later  shows  separate 
classifications  were  provided  for  cured  sausage  and  for  fancy  saus- 
age. This  is  advisable.  Green  hams  are  not  exhibited.  Hams 
must  have  been  made  eight  months  or  more.  This  rule  should  not 
apply  to  shoulders  or  bacon.  Here  only  sufficient  cure  to  preserve 
is  all  that  is  required. 

In  conducting  a  farmers'  meat  show  it  is  important  that  the 
announcement  concerning  it  be  made  in  ample  time  and  that  this 
announcement  be  couched  in  the  plainest  and  most  simple  language. 
The  premium  list  and  terms  governing  the  exhibit  should  be  clearly 
defined.  All  meat  should  be  received  at  the  show  room  in  time  to 
be  entered  and  placed  for  exhibit  before  the  opening  of  the  show. 
When  received,  each  piece  should  be  weighed  and  tagged  with  a 
number  corresponding  to  the  entry  number  in  the  superintendent's 
book.  All  entries  should  be  confined  strictly  to  farm-made  meat. 
In  the  Missouri  show  the  rule  has  been  to  return  all  meat  at  ex- 
hibitor 's  expense  at  the  close  of  the  contest  or  to  sell  meat  at  market 
price  and  remit  this. 

In  conducting  a  meat  show,  one  difficulty  is  to  secure  competent 
judges,  men  who  know  good  country-cured  meat  and  who  know 
how  to  make  it.  If  there  are  up-to-date  farmers  who  have  given 
considerable  thought  to  this  question  and  who  have  established 
reputations  for  the  quality  of  their  smoke-house  products,  they  will 
perhaps  be  the  best  judges.  Many  good  judges  of  fresh  meat  lack 
the  qualifications  for  judging  the  country-cured  product. 

It  is  important  that  the  showroom  be  neat  and  clean  as  this 
will  make  the  exhibits  appear  to  better  advantage.  Winners  of 
prizes  should  be  required  to  furnish,  if  possible,  the  recipes  by 
which  meat  was  cured.  Other  information,  such  as  breed  of  hog, 
age  and  weight,  from  which  meat  came  is  desirable. 

If  at  first  there  was  doubt  as  to  the  value  or  practibility  of  a 
farmers'  ham  and  bacon  show,  these  misgivings  have  been  removed. 
At  such  shows,  in  Missouri  and  in  many  other  states  which  have 
fallen  in  line,  there  is  now  seen  the  real  country  ham,  brown  as  a 
berry,  sweet  and  savory,  and  with  white  fat  and  red  lean,  making 
altogether  a  most  appetizing  product.  The  bacon,  too,  is  of  the 
best,  " crisp,  juicy  savory,"  with  the  much  sought  "streak  o'  fat 
and  streak  o'  lean"  splendidly  sandwiched.  Such  an  exhibit  ban- 


FARMERS  MEAT   SHOWS  203 

ishes  forever  from  the  city  man's  mind  the  idea  that  a  country 
ham  is  a  long-shanked  piece  of  meat  apparently  trimmed  with  an 
axe,  the  superabundance  of  fat  being  yellow,  and  the  smell,  as  it 
comes  from  a  dirty  sack,  a  vivid  reminder  of  rancid  lard.  Nor 
will  this  connoisseur  from  the  city  longer  think  of  country  bacon 
as  a  piece  of  very  salty  "pale  complexioned  side  meat".  The  only 
dissatisfaction  that  will  exist  in  the  mind  of  the  would-be  con- 
sumer will  result  from  his  inability  to  satisfy  his  ap.petite. 

Farmers '  meat  shows  should  not  be  limited  to  State  and  Federal 
support.  Swine  breeders'  associations  everywhere  should  back  up 
the  movement.  Agricultural  associations  and  farm  clubs  generally 
may  well  take  the  lead.  The  war  has  taught  many  that  they  can 
temporarily  do  with  less  meat.  Hence,  it  is  doubly  important 
that,  now  that  peace  has  again  come,  that  the  truth  that  nothing 
can,  after  all,  permanently  take  the  place  of  meat,  be  impressed 
on  the  purchasing  public.  Most  of  all,  the  farmer  needs  to  know 
that  he  can  make  better  meat  for  his  own  use  than  he  can  buy,  and 
at  the  same  time  the  cost  is  less.  The  after-the-war  period  should 
bring  about  the  revival  of  the  countcy  smoke-house.  If  it  is  worth 
while  for  the  lemon  growers  and  the  raisin  growers  of  California 
to  spend  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  in  exploiting  their  goods 
it  is  no  less  important  that  the  swine  growers  of  America  advertise 
their  products. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  NATIONAL  SWINE  GROWERS' 
ASSOCIATION 

BY  MEBRITT  S.  MCFADDEN 

The  devastating  and  long  to  be  remembered  foot-and-mouth 
scourge  which  secured  a  footing  in  America  in  1914  was  the  in- 
direct cause  of  the  formation  of  the  National  Swine  Growers'  Asso- 
ciation. It  has  long  been  the  custom  for  breeders  of  purebred  swine 
to  look  forward  to  their  annual  meetings  during  the  International 
Live  Stock  Exposition  in  Chicago,  the  first  week  in  December.  The 
prevalence  of  the  foot-and-mouth  disease  in  1914  made  it  necessary 
to  abandon  the  International  that  year,  thus  removing  the  attrac- 
tion that  had  made  possible  representative  gatherings  of  the  de- 
votees of  the  several  breeds.  It  was  to  counteract  this  loss  and  to 
offer  an  attraction  that  would  bring  forth  representative  gather- 
ings that  the  Illinois  Swine  Breeders'  Association  in  1914  sent 
forth  an  invitation  to  the  swine  breeders  of  America  to  attend  a 
meeting  of  their  organization  in  Chicago  on  Dec.  2,  1914,  the 
prime  object  being  the  formation  of  a  National  association  of  swine 
growers. 

At  the  time  this  step  was  taken  J.  Young  Caldwell,  William's- 
ville,  111.,  was  president  of  the  Illinois  Swine  Breeders'  Association, 
and  Charles  A.  Marker,  of  Auburn,  L.  E.  Frost,  then  of  Spring- 
field, W.  M.  McFadden  of  Chicago,  E.  J.  Evans  of  Chicago,  L.  E. 
Troeger  of  Chicago,  E.  C.  Stone  of  Peoria,  W.  S.  Corsa  of  White- 
hall, W.  J.  Carmichael  of  the  University  of  Illinois  and  others 
took  an  active  and  prominent  part  in  crystallizing  the  idea  of  a 
National  Swine  Growers'  Association. 

Accordingly  on  the  date  set  more  than  one  hundred  representa- 
tive swine  breeders  of  all  breeds  and  from  all  sections  of  the  country 
sat  at  dinner  at  the  Fort  Dearborn  Hotel  in  Chicago.  Opinions 
and  suggestions  were  offered  by  nearly  all  of  the  leaders  of  the 
swine  business  of  that  day  who  were  in  attendance.  The  unanimity 
of  opinion  and  the  broadness  of  the  spirit  of  those  present  re- 
sulted in  the  organization  of  the  present  National  Swine  Growers' 
Association.  Wm.  M.  McFadden  presided  as  chairman  of  that 
meeting.  A.  C.  Halliwell,  at  that  time  editor  of  "The  Chicago 
Daily  Live  Stock  World,"  was  elected  president,  J.  L.  Thatcher, 
Davenport,  la.,  vice-president,  L.  E.  Troeger  of  Chicago,  secretary, 
and  Geo.  M.  Cantrall,  also  of  Chicago,  treasurer.  All  of  these 
officers  were  elected  by  acclamation.  The  executive  committee 
selected  at  this  meeting  constituted  a  representative  from  each 
of  the  various  breeds,  and  the  personnel  was  as  follows:  For 
Hampshires,  E.  C.  Stone,  Peoria,  111. ;  for  Berkshires,  W.  S.  Corsa, 
Whitehall,  111. ;  for  Duroc-Jerseys,  J.  Young  Caldwell,  Williams- 
ville,  111. ;  for  Poland-Chinas,  J.  E.  Meharry,  Tolono,  111. ;  for  Tam- 

204 


THE  NATIONAL  SWINE  GROWERS'  ASSOCIATION  205 

worths,  Frank  Thornber,  Carthage,  111.;  for  Large  Yorkshires, 
Thomas  H.  Canfield,  Lake  Park,  Minn. ;  for  Mulefoots,  John  H. 
Dunlap,  Williamsport,  0.;  for  Chester  Whites,  Fred  H.  Moore, 
Rochester,  Ind. 

The  activities  of  the  first  year  were  directed  by  men  who  gave 
liberally  of  their  own  time  to  the  service  of  the  association,  and  no 
mean  amount  of  progress  was  made  in  placing  the  association  on  a 
plane  that  commended  it  to  the  attention  of  the  nation's  live  stock 
husbandmen.  Plans  for  a  National  Swine  Show,  suggested  and 
commended  upon  at  various  times  during  the  year,  failed  to  result 
in  the  establishment  of  such  a  show,  owing  to  the  prevalence  of  the 
foot-and-mouth  disease.  The  interest  in  the  association,  however, 
continued,  and  when  the  annual  dinner  was  called  at  the  Fort 
Dearborn  Hotel  on  Dec.  1,  1915,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the 
International  Live  Stock  Exposition  had  again  been  cancelled,  the 
attendance  numbered  well  above  two  hundred  breeders  from  many 
parts  of  America,  and  represented  all  of  the  breeds  of  swine.  The 
idea  of  the  National  Swine  Show  crystallized  at  this  meeting,  and 
definite  plans  were  inaugurated,  looking  to  the  establishment  of 
such  a  show  during  1916.  Secretary  W.  M.  McFadden  of  the 
American  Poland-China  Record  Association  was  elected  president 
of  the  association,  with  J.  Young  Caldwell,  Williamsville,  111.,  vice- 
president,  James  J.  Doty,  Shenandoah,  la.,  secretary,  and  George 
M.  Cantrall,  Chicago,  treasurer.  The  personnel  of  the  executive 
committee  was,  for  Poland-Chinas,  H.  L.  Currie,  Brownsville, 
Tenn. ;  for  Duroc-Jerseys,  Charles  V.  Truax,  Sycamore,  0. ;  for 
Hampshires,  E.  C.  Stone,  Peoria,  111. ;  for  Spotted  Poland-Chinas, 
Mrs.  Jennie  M.  Conrad,  Conrad,  Ind. :  for  Mulefoots,  John  H. 
Dunlap,  Williamsport,  0. ;  for  Berkshires,  W.  S.  Corsa,  Whitehall, 
111. ;  for  Large  Yorkshires,  Thomas  H.  Canfield,  White  Bear  Lake, 
Minn. ;  for  Chester  Whites,  C.  R.  Doty,  Charleston,  111. 

The  enthusiasm  that  prevailed  at  the  meeting  indicated  that  it 
was  the  definite  intention  of  the  swinemen  to  support  the  associa- 
tion, using  it  as  the  official  voice  of  America's  swine  interests.  The 
year  that  followed  the  meeting  found  the  association  active  in  its 
efforts  to  secure  more  uniform  and  better  quarantine  regulations, 
disease  eradication  methods  and  many  other  improvements  in  swine 
husbandry  conditions,  and  to  the  development  of  a  national  show 
of  purebred  swine. 

In  January,  1916,  announcement  was  made  of  the  selection  of 
the  site  for  the  National  Swine  Show.  Omaha  was  chosen  as  the 
location,  after  competition  with  Waterloo  and  Des  Moines,  la., 
Dallas,  Tex.,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  Shreveport,  La. 
The  inducements  offered  by  the  Nebraska  city  were  such  as  to  offer 
every  likelihood  of  a  successful  initial  show,  which  proved  to  be 
the  case,  when  the  show  closed  on  Oct.  7.  Upwards  of  1,400  hogs 
were  on  exhibition,  and  the  character  and  excellence  of  the  exhibits 
were  such  as  to  bring  forth  the  highest  praise  from  the  country's 
live  stock  press.  The  judging  in  the  various  breeds  was  ably  done, 
and  the  standards  there  established  have  become  the  standards  for 


206  "THE  NATIONAL  SWINE  GROWERS'  ASSOCIATION 

the  breeds  in  all  of  the  shows,  with  a  resulting  harmony  of  effort 
that  has  advanced  the  purebred  industry  and  the  showring  to  a 
plane  that  neither  had  ever  before  enjoyed. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  association  in  1916  was  held  at  the 
Fort  Dearborn  Hotel  in  Chicago  on  Dec.  4.  Two  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  sat  at  dinner  that  evening.  There  is  no  question  that 
there  had  never  previously  been  so  large  or  representative  a  gather- 
ing of  men  interested  in  America's  swine  husbandry,  and  all  were 
enthusiastic  over  the  accomplishments  of  the  association,  especially 
over  the  initial  National  Swine  Show.  The  discussions  of  the 
evening  outlined  many  of  the  fields  of  endeavor  for  the  association 
in  broadening  the  swine  industry.  It  was  at  this  meeting  that  the 
suggestion  was  first  publicly  made  for  the  employment  of  a  man  to 
devote  his  entire  time  to  the  interests  of  swinemen — an  idea  that 
crystallized  twelve  months  later. 

The  officers  in  1916  were  unanimously  chosen  to  continue  their 
duties  through  1917,  thus  leaving  in  office  President  W.  M.  Mc- 
Fadden,  Vice-President  J.  Young  Caldwell,  Secretary  James  J. 
Doty  and  Treasurer  George  M.  Cantrall.  The  1917  executive  com- 
mittee was  selected  as  follows :  For  Poland-Chinas,  H.  Wade 
Gillis,  Mt.  Pleasant,  la.;  for  Duroc-Jerseys,  W.  H.  VanMeter, 
Williamsville,  111. ;  for  Berkshires,  C.  F.  Curtiss,  Ames,  la. ;  for 
Chester  Whites,  Fred  H.  Moore,  Rochester,  Ind. ;  for  Hampshires, 
Willie  Essig,  Tipton,  Ind.;  for  Spotted  Poland-Chinas,  Fred  L. 
Obenchain,  Bainbridge,  Ind. ;  for  Mulef oots,  John  H.  Dunlap, 
Williamsport,  0. ;  for  Tamworths,  J.  B.  Mackoy,  Farrugut,  la. ;  for 
Large  Yorkshires,  B.  F.  Davidson,  Menlo,  la. 

The  Association  early  announced  that  the  National  Swine  Show 
for  1917  would  be  held  in  the  same  quarters  as  the  event  in  1916, 
with  such  additions  as  might  be  required.  The  dates  were  set  as 
Oct.  3-10,  inclusive,  thus  including  a  Sunday  in  the  middle  of  the 
show  week— a  move  made  to  bring  out  a  large  attendance  of  town- 
folk  on  that  day.  The  idea  did  not  bring  the  desired  result,  how- 
ever, and  was  abandoned  the  following  year.  In  July  the  show 
committee — W.  M.  McFadden,  L.  E.  Frost  and  E.  C.  Stone — met 
with  the  various  recording  association  secretaries,  and  compiled  the 
rules  that  were  to  govern  the  show  in  1917,  and  the  report  of  that 
meeting  was  widely  published.  A  students'  judging  contest  was 
planned  at  this  meeting,  and  N.  M.  Gordon  of  Chicago  was  made 
chairman  of  the  committee  in  charge,  his  co-workers  being  Ray 
Davis  and  R.  L.  (''Bob")  Hill.  Subsequently  this  event  proved  to 
be  one  of  the  real  features  of  the  show. 

The  stage  for  the  second  national  was  well  set,  and  the  number 
of  entries  exceeded  those  of  1916  by  over  a  hundred  head  and  the 
quality,  uniformity  and  type  of  the  animals  presented  offered  elo- 
quent evidence  of  the  influence  of  the  show  of  the  preceding  year. 
There  was  far  less  divergence  in  type  and  a  considerably  greater 
uniformity  in  the  pens  that  year,  and  the  judging  was  again  of  the 
kind  more  firmly  to  set  the  best  standards  of  breed  development. 
The  attendance  at  the  show  was  a  disappointment  to  the  officials 
although  the  earlier  days  showed  a  sharp  advance  over  the  figures 


THE  NATIONAL  SWINE  GROWERS'  ASSOCIATION  207 

for  the  previous  year.  Doubtless  the  cold  weather  of  the  closing 
days  was  largely  responsible  for  the  decrease.  It  was  a  fact  worthy 
of  note,  however,  that  there  was  a  larger  number  of  breeders 
present  from  a  distance,  and  many  of  the  best  animals  were  sold  by 
exhibitors  to  these  men. 

Gifford  Pinchot  of  the  United  States  Food  Administration  was  a 
visitor  at  the  show,  and  a  meeting  of  the  swinemen  was  held  in  the 
Exchange  Building  in  Omaha  during  the  week  to  consider  with 
him  the  best  means  to  be  employed  to  bring  about  an  increase  in  the 
amount  of  pork  produced  in  1918.  Members  of  the  association  at- 
tended the  meeting  in  large  numbers,  and  resolutions  were  adopted 
designed  to  offer  the  proper  stimulus  to  pork  production.  The  de- 
bate on  the  subject  was  spirited,  and  the  unity  of  the  hogmen  to  aid 
the  Government  in  bringing  the 'desired  results  was  marked.  There 
is  no  question  that  that  meeting  largely  of  the  National  Swine 
Growers'  Association  membership,  was  an  important  cog  in  the 
machinery  that  was  employed  to  assure  an  adequate  production  of 
pork  in  1918. 

In  the  winter  of  1917  the  importance  of  the  association  had  come 
to  be  so  widely  appreciated  that  it  was  no  longer  possible  to  hold 
the  annual  meeting  in  the  quarters  previously  used  for  that  pur- 
pose. Therefore  the  meeting  was  arranged  for  the  Morrison  Hotel 
in  Chicago  on  Monday  night  of  the  International  show  week.  The 
healthy  condition  of  the  organization  was  evidenced  by  the  balance 
of  $2,199  in  the  treasury  and  by  the  large  increase  in  membership 
during  the  year.  It  was  at  this  meeting  that  the  subject  of  securing 
a  salaried  secretary  for  the  association  was  brought  to  a  head  by 
the  assurance  of  various  pledges  of  financial  support.  The  record 
associations  and  various  publications  evidenced  a  desire  to  be 
counted  in  on  the  program  for  supporting  such  an  office,  and  the 
selection  of  a  man  was  delegated  to  the  executive  committee.  This 
committee  was  selected  as  follows :  For  Duroc-Jerseys,  W.  H.  Van- 
Meter,  Williamsville,  111. ;  for  Poland-Chinas,  Chas.  A.  Marker,  Au- 
burn, 111. ;  for  Chester  Whites,  Fred  H.  Moore,  Rochester,  Ind. ;  for 
Berkshires,  E.  J.  Barker,  Thorntown,  Ind.;  for  Hampshires,  E.  C. 
Stone,  Peoria,  111. ;  for  Tamworths,  J.  B.  Mackoy,  Farragut,  la. ; 
for  Spotted  Poland-Chinas,  John  Bock,  Kempton,  Ind. ;  for  Large 
Yorkshires,  B.  F.  Davidson,  Menlo,  la. ;  for  Mulefoots,  Robert  E. 
Pfeiffer,  Columbus,  0.  W.  M.  McFadden  was  elected  president 
of  the  association  for  the  third  successive  term,  Robt.  J.  Evans  of 
Chicago,  vice-president,  E.  Z.  Russell,  Omaha,  Neb.,  secretary,  and 
George  M.  Cantrall,  Chicago,  treasurer. 

Early  in  1918  a  meeting  of  the  executive  committee  was  held 
in  Peoria,  111.,  at  which  various  proposals  were  heard  for  the  loca- 
tion of  the  1918  National  Swine  Show,  and  at  the  same  time  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  discussion  was  indulged  in  relative  to  the 
selection  of  a  permanent  salaried  secretary  for  the  organization. 
No  definite  decision  was  reached  in  either  instance  at  this  meeting, 
but  subsequently  announcement  was  made  of  the  selection  of  Cedar 
Rapids  as  the  site  of  the  1918  show,  and  a  month  later  ratification 


208  THE  NATIONAL  SWINE   GROWERS'   ASSOCIATION 

of  the  selection  of  John  T.  Stinson  for  the  office  of  permanent  secre- 
tary was  announced.  The  selection  of  Cedar  Rapids  for  the  show 
came  as  a  considerable  surprise,  but  centering  the  show  as  it  did  in 
the  heart  of  one  of  the  greatest  swine  producing  areas  the  announce- 
ment was  well  received,  and  interest  in  the  event  took  an  early 
impetus. 

Mr.  Stinson  located  his  office  at  Cedar  Rapids,  and  at  once 
busied  himself  with  campaigns  for  the  securing  of  memberships  in 
the  association.  A  great  deal  of  missionary  work  was  done  to  find 
the  most  effective  methods  of  securing  members,  and  the  results  of 
the  efforts  were  considerable,  though  the  natural  reticence  of 
farmers  to  organize  themselves  has  been  apparent  throughout  the 
building  of  the  association.  The  secretary's  office  kept  the  members 
well  posted  on  the  happenings  in  swinedom  and  was  particularly 
effective  in  giving  authentic  reports  of  all  movements  of  the  Food 
Administration  looking  toward  a  realization  of  the  necessary  in- 
crease in  pork  production.  In  this  regard  E.  Z.  Russell,  who  re- 
signed as  secretary  in  favor  of  Mr.  Stinson,  gave  valuable  service 
as  the  special  representative  of  the  association  in  "Washington.  Mr. 
Russell  was  in  charge  of  the  swine  promotion  work  of  the  Bureau 
of  Animal  Industry  of  the  Federal  Department  of  Agriculture  and, 
working  with  the  National  Swine  Growers'  Association,  his  efforts 
have  been  effective  in  making  possible  the  work  the  association  has 
accomplished. 

Unquestionably  the  greatest  of  the  three  swine  shows  was  that 
held  at  Cedar  Rapids  Sept.  30  to  Oct.  5,  1918.  The  new  location 
found  a  community  alive  to  the  importance  of  swine  husbandry  in 
American  agriculture,  and  the  attendance  greatly  exceeded  that  of 
either  of  the  previous  events.  In  fact,  the  attendance  practically 
equalled  the  combined  attendance  of  the  first  and  second  shows. 
An  inadequate  conception  of  the  magnitude  of  the  show  on  the  part 
of  those  responsible  for  its  conduct  resulted  in  a  rather  inadequate 
preparation  for  the  event,  with  some  discomfort  and  inconvenience 
to  exhibitors.  Neither  can  it  truthfully  be  said  that  the  judging 
equaled  that  of  previous  years  in  all  breeds,  though  as  a  whole 
criticism  in  this  regard  was  mild,  and  the  type  and  standard  of 
breed  perfection  was  not  impaired  by  the  decisions  made.  Hogs  of 
seven  breeds  were  exhibited  at  this  show,  both  the  Large  York- 
shires and  Tamworths  having  classifications.  A  notable  part  of 
the  show  was  the  exposition  feature  promoted  by  Secretary  Stinson, 
which  included  a  corn,  ham  and  bacon  show,  machinery  and  equip- 
ment, as  well  as  other  accessories  of  interest  and  entertainment  that 
were  cordially  received  by  the  visitors. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  association  on  Dec.  2,  1918,  at  the 
Hotel  Sherman  in  Chicago,  the  annual  dinner  was  dispensed  with, 
owing  to  the  press  of  business  to  be  transacted.  Upwards  of  two 
hundred  members  were  present,  and  it  was  obvious  that  the  interest 
in  the  association  had  become  so  great  that  the. special  feature  of  a 
dinner  was  unnecessary  to  attract  them.  Officers  and  members 
alike  viewed  the  activities  of  the  year  1918  as  most  encouraging,  and 
the  outlook  for  future  as  bright.  Among  the  accomplishments  of 


THE  NATIONAL  SWINE   GROWERS'   ASSOCIATION  209 

the  association  that  were  viewed  with  particular  regard  was  the 
activity  of  the  officers  in  regard  to  the  fixing  of  the  minimum  price 
for  hogs  in  conjunction  with  the  Food  Administration,  the  lifting 
of  embargo  and  express  shipments  of  hogs  during  December,  the 
successful  conduct  of  the  swine  show,  the  progress  made  in  securing 
uniform  shipping  regulations  for  the  various  states  and  other 
features. 

A  talk  by  Geo.  M.  Rommel,  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,  enlightened  the  members  on  the  live  stock  conditions  of 
the  old  world,  as  observed  by  him  on  a  trip  made  with  a  commission 
sent  to  investigate.  L.  H.  Stubbs  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  at 
Cedar  Rapids  also  made  a  talk,  in  which  he  explained  the  reasons  for 
the  shortcomings  of  the  swine  show  accommodaticns  for  1918,  and 
promised  the  members  that  Cedar  Rapids  had  learned  its  lesson 
well  and  was  prepared  to  correct  all  mistakes  at  the  show  of  1919. 
The  following  officers  were  unanimously  elected :  President,  Robt.  J. 
Evans,  Chicago ;  Vice-president,  Fred  H.  Moore,  Rochester,  Ind. ; 
Treasurer,  Geo.  M.  Cantrall,  Chicago.  Executive  Committee :  For 
Poland-Chinas,  Chas.  A.  Marker,  Auburn,  111. ;  for  Duroc-Jerseys, 
W.  M.  Putman,  Tecumseh,  Neb. ;  for  Chester  Whites,  L.  C.  Reese, 
Prescott,  la. ;  for  Hampshires,  Clayton  Messenger,  Keswick,  la. ;  for 
Large  Yorkshires,  B.  F.  Davidson,  Menlo,  la. ;  for  Tamworths,  P.  0. 
Morris,  Aledo,  111. ;  for  Berkshires,  Ralph  M.  Jenkins,  Orleans,  Ind. ; 
for  Mulef oots,  John  H.  Dunlap,  Williamsport,  0. ;  for  Spotted 
Poland-Chinas,  John  H.  Bock,  Kempton,  Ind.  The  selection  of  the 
secretary  was  left  to  the  executive  committee,  under  whose  official 
direction  he  was  placed. 

Subsequently  the  committee  selected  W.  J.  Carmichael,  formerly 
of  the  Animal  Husbandry  Department  of  the  University  of  Illinois, 
and  for  several  months  previously  to  his  appointment,  associated 
with  E.  Z.  Russell  as  a  specialist  in  swine  husbandry  promotion  by 
the  United  States  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  in  Washington. 
Mr.  Carmichael  selected  an  office  in  the  Old  Colony  Building,  Chi- 
cago, as  his  headquarters,  and  is  taking  an  active  part  in  live  stock 
activities  of  the  country  in  behalf  of  swinemen. 

The  Swine  Growers'  Association  has  made  progress  toward  realiz- 
ing a  powerful  organization,  working  for  the  betterment  of  men 
engaged  in  the  production  of  swrine.  Organization  is  coming  to  be 
more  and  more  recognized  by  farmers  as  a  means  of  accomplishing 
things.  Various  associations  of  farmers  and  farmers'  interests  are 
springing  up,  and  their  effect  is  coming  to  be  more  and  more 
noticeable.  The  National  Swine  Growers'  Association  has  arrived 
at  a  place  in  its  development  that  promises  that  it  shall  become  one 
of  the  most  powerful  organizations  of  the  country  devoted  to  such 
a  course.  Membership  in  it  is  a  mark  of  progress  and  alertness, 
and  farmers  and  breeders  are  taking  advantage  of  it  irrespective 
of  breeds  or  whether  they  are  breeders  of  purebreds  or  growers 
of  pork. 


210 


FORTY  YEARS'    EXPERIENCE   OF  A  PRACTICAL  HOG   MAN 


GESTATION  TABLE 

Showing  the  date  when  a  sow  is  due  to  farrow,  counting  sixteen 
weeks  from  the  day  when  she  was  served.  Find  the  date  when  the 
sow  was  served,  and  the  date  immediately  to  the  right  is  the  date 
when  she  is  due.  For  instance,  if  the  sow  was  served  February  1, 
she  is  due  May  24 ;  if  served  May  24,  she  is  due  September  13. 


Feb. 

May 

Sept. 

Jan. 

April 

Aug. 

Dec. 

Mar. 

July 

Nov. 

Feb. 

June 

Oct. 

Jan. 

1 

24 

13 

3 

25 

15 

5 

27 

17 

6 

26 

18 

8 

28 

2 

25 

14 

4 

26 

16 

6 

28 

18 

7 

27 

19 

9 

29 

3 

26 

15 

5 

27 

17 

7 

29 

19 

8 

28 

20 

10 

30 

Mar. 

4 

27 

16 

6 

28 

18 

8 

30 

20 

9 

1 

21 

11 

31 

Feb. 

5 

28 

17 

7 

29 

19 

•  9 

31 

21 

10 

2 

22 

12 

1 

April 

6 

29 

18 

8 

30 

20 

10 

1 

22 

11 

3 

23 

13 

2 

May 

7 

30 

19 

9 

1 

21 

11 

2 

23 

12 

4 

24 

14 

3 

8 

31 

20 

10 

2 

22 

12 

3 

24 

13 

5 

25 

15 

4 

June 

9 

1 

21 

11 

3 

23 

13 

4 

25 

14 

6 

26 

16 

5 

10 

2 

22 

12 

4 

24 

14 

5 

26 

15 

7 

27 

17 

6 

11 

3 

23 

13 

5 

25 

15 

6 

27 

16 

8 

28 

18 

7 

12 

4 

24 

14 

6 

26 

16 

7 

28 

17 

9 

29 

19 

8 

13 

5 

25 

15 

7 

27 

17 

8 

29 

18 

10 

30 

20 

9 

July 

14 

6 

26 

16 

8 

28 

18 

9 

30 

19 

11 

1 

21 

10 

15 

7 

27 

17 

9 

29 

19 

10 

31 

20 

12 

2 

22 

11 

Aug. 

16 

8 

28 

18 

10 

30 

20 

11 

21 

13 

3 

23 

12 

17 

9 

29 

19 

11 

31 

21 

12 

2 

22 

14 

4 

24 

13 

Sept. 

18 

10 

30 

20 

12 

22 

13 

3 

23 

15 

5 

25 

14 

Oct. 

19 

11 

1 

21 

13 

2 

23 

14 

4 

24 

16 

6 

26 

15 

20 

12 

2 

22 

14 

3 

24 

15 

5 

25 

17 

7 

27 

16 

21 

13 

3 

23 

15 

4 

25 

16 

6 

26 

18 

8 

28 

17 

22 

14 

4 

24 

16 

5 

26 

17 

7 

27 

19 

9 

29 

18 

23 

15 

5 

25 

17 

6 

27 

18 

8 

28 

20 

10 

30 

19 

24 

16 

6 

26 

18 

7 

28 

19 

9 

29 

21 

11 

31 

20 

Nov. 

25 

17 

7 

27 

19 

8 

29 

20 

10 

30 

22 

12 

1 

21 

Dec. 

26 

18 

*8 

28 

20 

9 

30 

21 

11 

1 

23 

13 

2 

22 

27 

19 

9 

29 

21 

10 

31 

22 

12 

2 

24 

14 

3 

23 

Jan. 

28 

20 

10 

30 

22 

11 

1 

23 

13 

3 

25 

15 

4 

24 

21 

11 

31 

23 

12 

2 

24 

14 

4 

26 

16 

5 

25 

INDEX 


Advertising. 

Ages,  Authenticating 

Alfalfa,  Feed  Saved  By  Use  of 

Alfalfa  Hay 

Alfalfa  Pasture ,.  , 

Alfalfa,  Protein  in 

Antiscorbutic  Substances  Seemingly 

Necessary 

Arrival  of  Pig 


Page 
80 
70 
123 
163 
121 
122 


Barley 

Beans ..., 

Berkshire  History 
Blood  Lines,  Study 
Bloodmeal 


108 
76 

145 
161 
173 

78 
158 


Bluegrass 127 

Breeding,  Age,  Time  and  Season  for  32 

Breeding  Crates,  Use  of 32 

Breeding  Pigs,  Ration  for 116 

Breeding  Season 32 

Brood  Sow,  Care  of 36 

Brood  Sows,  Selecting 29 

Brood  Sow,  Feed  of 36 

Buttermilk.  .                                      .  154 


Canker  Sore  Mouth 

Carbohydrate  Equivalent 

Castrating 

Catalogues  for  Herd 

Cereals,  Efficient  Use  of 

Charcoal  or  Slack  Coal 

Cheshire 

Chester  White  History 

Chute  for  Loading  Hogs 

Cob  Charcoal,  How  to  Make. . 

Concrete  Dipping  Tank 

Condiments 

Cooking  Feed 

Corn,  A  Healthful  Feed 

Corn,  A  Substitute  for 

Corn  and  Alfalfa 

Corn  and  Cobmeal 

Corn  and  Other  Feeds 

Corn  Oil  Cakemeal 

Corn  or  Indian-Maize  Grain .  . 
Corn,  Preparation  for  Hogs. .  . 

Corn,  Soft ., 

Correspondence 

Cottonseed  Meal 

Cowpeas 

Crops  to  Feed  Green 

Cross  Breeding 

Curing  Hams,  A  Recipe  for .  . . 
Curing  Thick  White  Fat  Pork. 


Diseases,  Common. . . 

Dressing 

Duroc  Jersey 


112 

101 

81 

110 

139 

199 

180 

10 

58 

50 

64 

56 

135 

149 

136 

143 

144 

162 

135 

140 

144 

78 

161 

130 

57 

48 


95 

67 

177 


Page 

Emmer 151 

Energy  Builders 108 

Essex 199 

Exercise  on  Show  Circuit. . .  67 


Farmers'  Meat  Shows 201 

Farrowing  Time 34 

Fishmeal .,. 157 

Feeding  for  Market 52 

Feeding  on  Circuit 68 

Feeds  and  Feeding 54 

Feeds,  Basal 113 

Feed  House  and  Feeding  Pens  for 

Swine  (Ground  Plan) 15 

Feeds,  Composition 113 

Feeds,  Condimental 164 

Feeds,  Miscellaneous 114 

Feeds,  Miscellaneous 164 

Feed  Saved  by  Using  Alfalfa 123 

Feeds,  Supplementary 153 

Forage  Crop  Mixture 7 

Forage  Crops,  Selecting 121 

Forage  Crops,  Why  Grow 120 

Free  Choice  System,  Beginning  of.  .  168 

Garbage 164 

Gluten  Feed 161 

Grains,  Hard  Should  Be  Ground. .. .  109 

Grazing,  Heavy  111  Advised 122 

Green  Feed 55 

Green  Rye,  Effects  of 129 


Hair,  Clipping 66 

Hair,  The  Coat  of 30 

Ham  and  Egg  Lunch  Loaf 85 

Ham  Balls 85 

Ham,  Baked 84 

Ham,  Boiled 84 

Ham,  Boneless  Boiled 85 

Ham,  Delicious  Fried  with  Eggs ....  85 

Hampshires 190 

Head  Cheese 84 

Herd  Boar,  The 26 

Herd  Boar,  Handling  the 27 

Hog  Cholera  and  Serum 88 

Hog  Farm,  Location 9 

Hogging  Down  Corn 54 

Hog  House,  Community  Hah"  Moni- 
tor Roof  Type 22 

Hog  Houses,  Movable;  Types  Built 

at  Iowa  State  College 16 

Hog  House,  Myers  Plan. 12 

Hog  Wallow,  A  Convenient  and 

Sanitary 45 

Hominy  Feed 149 

Housecleaning 58 


211 


212 


INDEX— Continued 


Page 

Immunizing  a  Business  Policy 93 

Inbreeding . 48 

Ingredients,  Basic 118 

Judging  at  Shows 72 

Lard,  Home  Made 

Large  Black  Hog 

Limestone.  r 

Line-Breeding 

Linseed  Oilmeal 

Marking 

Marketing,  Six  Months  Before. 

Meatmeal  Tankage 

Medium  Red  Clover 

Middle  White 

Mulefoot.  ..  


86 
199 
136 

48 
157 

39 
47 
156 
126 
199 
197 


National   Swine   Growers'   Associa- 
tion, The 204 


Oats,  Common  Field 

Oats , 

Oatmeal,  Hull-less 

Overfeeding,  Ill-Effects  of .... 

Pasture,  Importance  of  Good . 

Pastures,  Miscellaneous 

Pasture,  Mixed 

Pastures,  on  Low  Protein 

Pastures,  on  High  Protein .... 

Peanuts 

Peanut  Meal 

Pedigrees 

Pigs'  Feet,  Boneless 

Pigs'  Feet  Souse 

Pig  Meal 

Pigs,  Care  of 

Plant  Leaves  Balance  Rations. 

Pleuro-Pneumonia 

Poland  China,  The 

Pork,  Home  Cured 

Porkmaking  Profitable 

Potatoes 

Precautions,  Sanitary 

Protein  Another  Essential .  . 


129 

159 

160 

52 

18 

128 

130 

132 

130 

152 

159 

78 

84 

84 

58 

44 

111 

97 

184 

83 

53 

151 

45 

106 


Rack  for  Feeding  Alfalfa 59 

Rape,  Analysis  of 124 

Rape 124 

Ration,  A  Complete 104 

Ration,  How  to  Balance. ..........  105 

Ration,   Successful  for  Economical 

Dry-lot  Feeding^ 132 

Ration,  To  Balance  a/ 115 

Rheumatism 99 

Rock  Phosphate 137 

Roots 164 

Record  Card 42 

Record  of  Litters 39 

Rye 147 


Salt 

Salt  Pork,  Fried 

Sausage,  Home  Made. . 


137 

84 
86 


Page 

Self -Feeding,  Does  It  Pay? 166 

Self-Feeding  Don'ts 172 

Self-Feeders  on  Pasture 167 

Selecting  a  Boar  for  Common  Sows  51 

Serum,  Preparation  of 90 

Shade,  Natural  or  Artificial 19 

Show  Herd,  Feeding  the 64 

Show  Herd,  Handling  in  the  Ring . .  65 

Show  Herd,  Exercise  Necessary ....  65 

Show  Herd,  Fitting  the 63 

Show  Herd,  Finishing  Touches 66 

Show  Herd,  Selection  and  Fitting  of  62 

Showing,  Advantages  of 60 

Shipment,  Preparation  of  Pig  for ...  75 

Shipping  Crates. 74 

Sire,  Importance  of  Good 23 

Sire's  Influence 24 

Skimmilk 153 

Skin  Diseases 100 

Soiling 57 

Sore  Feet 98 

Sore  Mouths 97 

Sore  Teats : 100 

Sorghums 148 

Sow,  Type  to  Select 29 

Soy  Beans 129 

Soy  Bean  Meal 158 

Spaying 101 

Speltz 151 

Spotted  Poland  China 188 

Stationery 81 

Sterility 98 

Suffolk 199 

Sulphur 139 

Summary  and  Suggestions 170 

Sweet  Clover 128 

Swine  House,  A  Complete 12 

System 79 


Tamworth 

Thumps  in  Young  Pigs 

Treatment   of   Show   Herd  On 
Return  Home. .  , 


It's 


193 
96 

58 


Uniformity,  Value  of 53 

Victoria 199 

Vitamines,  Certain  Needed 197 

Watering,  System  of 21 

Water,  Necessity  of  Plenty  of  Pure.  21 

Water,  The  Function  of 105 

Weaning  Pigs. 38 

Weight  for  Age 47 

What  a  Breeder  of  Full  Breds  Should 

Be 77 

Wheat 146 

Wheat  Bran 161 

Wheat  Middlings 160 

Winter  Quarters,  In . 8 

Winter  Wheat 129 

Wood  Ashes 137 

Worms 95 

Yorkshires. . .                                  ...  192 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  5O  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
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OVERDUE. 


UCT  281940 

Nu"  m  1946 

LD  21-100m-7,'40  (6936s) 

674619 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


